Not only useful, but also harmful: why the attitude towards milk has changed
'28.10.2021'
Source: Eva.ru
Why was milk so praised before, but now scolded, and where is the truth?
"Drink, children, milk - you will be healthy", repeated several generations of Soviet people and sincerely believed in the benefits of the drink. Today, views on milk have changed dramatically: adherents of healthy lifestyles insist that it is stuffed with hormones, provokes acne and osteoporosis. So who's right? Eva.ru asked the most urgent questions about milk to general practitioner Denis Kondratyev in order to dot all the “i”.
Is it true that the so-called growth factors in milk (substances that resemble hormones in structure) bring some troubles to an adult: they increase the risk of uncontrolled cell division, as a result, the formation of tumors, and also increase the secretion of the sebaceous glands, cause inflammation on the skin?
- Unfortunately, there are no reliable studies so far, and the question remains open. Milk contains insulin-like growth factor (IGF). This hormone mediates the human growth factor hormone. IGF is believed to play an active role in the aging process of the body. High levels of this protein provoke overgrowth of various human tissues, provoking the development of tumors, cardiovascular diseases, etc. The level of IGF is influenced by a person's diet (including the total amount of protein), the frequency of meals (the more often a person eats, the higher the level of IGF).
The real concern is that manipulating growth hormones for cows can increase the content of insulin-like growth factor (IGF), which can mimic human growth hormone in dangerous proportions. In practice, studies have shown that milk from cows vaccinated with hormones contains ten times more IGF than milk from cows not vaccinated with such hormones.
However, it is worth noting that to get the daily amount of IGF secreted by our saliva and gastrointestinal tract, you will have to drink about 95 liters of milk.
So if the amount of IGF in milk is negligible, then how does milk consumption increase our IGF? It is possible that available analytical technologies underestimate the real IGF levels in milk by neglecting bound protein fractions.
Another argument in the milk lobby is the fact that human saliva contains IGF, which is broken down during digestion. However, independent studies have shown that growth hormones in milk, very similar to IGF, are not destroyed by the digestive system due to the protective effect of casein.
As for skin diseases, IGF stimulates the production of sebum, an excess of which leads to acne. A number of studies have shown that people who use milk are much more likely to suffer from acne than they do not.
There are a lot of arguments for and against, the question is complex and all-encompassing, too many factors are involved, especially because of the causes of cancer. If everything were so simple and we knew these causes and factors, then cancer would have been gone for a long time.
On the subject: What milk is most harmful: what science says
Who definitely can’t drink milk?
- To people with acute intestinal diseases, lactose intolerance (with an enzyme deficiency - lactase), allergies to milk components, urolithiasis, children up to 12 months.
How to understand that a person has lactose intolerance?
- When using milk, such people have bloating (flatulence), intestinal upset (diarrhea). Lactose intolerance is associated with a lack or complete absence of lactase, an enzyme responsible for the breakdown of lactose in the human body. Lactose accumulates in the large intestine. The bacteria that live in the intestines begin to consume it and produce hydrogen and methane, which is the cause of flatulence and diarrhea. Such people should refuse to consume dairy products.
To reliably determine lactose intolerance, there are several tests that are performed in medical organizations. The most common is to measure the amount of hydrogen released during respiration. The patient is given a certain amount of lactose in food (usually 25 grams), and then the content of exhaled hydrogen is examined, with lactose intolerance, its content in exhaled air is sharply increased.
Over the age of 55, can milk be harmful?
- Yes, there are several reliable studies that have confirmed the negative effect of milk consumption at the age of 55 +. Milk contains natural trans fats, which slow down the absorption of calcium by the body, which leads to an increased risk of hip fractures in age groups. Low-fat dairy products contain much less trans fats harmful to the body.
A study in several countries found that people who consume less dairy products are less likely to suffer from osteoporosis. Is milk somehow related to the onset of this disease?
- Yes, such a connection can be traced, it is just connected with the "harmful" trans fats, which I talked about in response to the previous question. They are found in dairy products and negatively affect the absorption of calcium by the body, which leads to this disease.
Specialists in the field of healthy eating are advised to consume milk in the amount of 1,5-2 glasses per day for people under 40 years old. After this threshold, the amount is reduced to 1 cups per day.
However, does milk contain complete protein, fatty acids, vitamins and minerals, biologically active substances that an adult needs?
- Yes, of course, milk is a storehouse of useful substances, it contains useful macro- and microelements, vitamins (PP, retinol, ascorbic acid, tocopherol, pyridoxine, thiamine, riboflavin), amino acids (methionine, lysine, tryptophan and others).
Not all amino acids are produced by the body, there is such a thing as "nonessential and irreplaceable amino acids." Essential amino acids are those that are not produced in the human body, but can only enter it from the outside, with food. Milk is rich in such amino acids.
Is Milk True to Sleep?
- Yes, this is due to the hormone melatonin contained in milk. Melatonin appears in our body in several ways, the first and main is the production of it by the body, the second is the intake of food and medications. The main function of the hormone melatonin is the regulation of the circadian rhythm of the body. It is thanks to this hormone that we can fall asleep and sleep soundly. Since there is a large amount of melatonin in milk, many people suffering from insomnia use this method as one of the simplest means of dealing with their ailment.
On the subject: Five simple homemade vegetable milk recipes
Does skim milk help you lose weight?
- It is impossible to say unequivocally that skim milk helps in losing weight, no. Here the arithmetic is quite simple, skim milk contains less fat, and therefore, it is less caloric.
Therefore, when using skim milk, compared with whole milk, we lose weight more easily. Milk satisfies hunger well and has a low glycemic index (this is an important indicator of food consumed during weight loss).
Milk also contains casein protein, which is well absorbed and helps preserve muscle mass with massive weight loss.
Which milk is better - pasteurized or sterilized?
- When sterilizing milk, all microorganisms contained in it die. Such milk is stored for a long time and is safe for children. However, with this method of processing, the organoleptic characteristics and nutritional value of the product suffer, including the death of useful lactic acid bacteria.
The pasteurization method is softer, this technological treatment kills 98,5-99,8% of microorganisms. This technology preserves the taste of milk and its beneficial properties practically unchanged. Such milk has a short shelf life. Experts advise against using it to prepare food for young children. However, pasteurized milk very rarely appears on the list of foods that have caused foodborne infections or poisoning. It is impossible to answer unequivocally: both milk has both advantages and disadvantages.
What foods high in calcium can replace milk?
- In addition to milk, there are many other foods that are not inferior in calcium content. Most of all, they are rich in fish, herbs, seafood, legumes, sesame seeds, garlic, nuts.
