Harvard Says No To Dairy
Published on January 11, 2012 by GirlieGirlArmy · 54 CommentsThe Harvard School of Public Health made no bones about where they stand on dairy when they sent their findings to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and nutrition experts everywhere with the “Healthy Eating Plate” food guide. This guide is a replacement for the food pyramid, which hadn’t been updated in many years.
Harvard’s nutrition experts claim this guide is based on sound nutrition research and not influenced by food industry lobbyists. According to Michelle Schoffro Cook, PhD, “The greatest evidence of its research focus is the absence of dairy products from the “Healthy Eating Plate” based on Harvard’s assessment that “…high intake can increase the risk of prostate cancer and possibly ovarian cancer.” The Harvard experts also referred to the high levels of saturated fat in most dairy products and suggested that collards, bok choy, fortified soy milk, and baked beans are safer choices than dairy for obtaining calcium, as are high quality supplements.”
Not only do cows suffer on dairy farms (their babies are biproducts of the cruelest part of factory farming imaginable,) we suffer. Cows milk ingested by humans (remember – this is breastmilk for baby cows after all) can cause autism, cancer, weight gain, bad skin, diarrhea, bloating, gas, cramps, vomiting, headaches, rashes, and asthma. We are the only species to ingest the breastmilk of another species. Let’s think on that for a second.
For more info on dumping dairy, and the ethical and health benefits of doing so, scroll our archives.
Tags: 4 food groups, Dairy, dairy products, Diet, Diet & Nutrition, dietetics, Food, food groups, four food groups, General Health, got milk, harvard, Harvard University, health, Healthy Diet, healthy eating, milk, milk is dangerous, milk is unhealthy, Nutrition, nutrition news, Vegan
Readers Comments (54)
[...] Harvard Says No To Dairy [...]
OMG!
This article is incredibly irresponsible. It’s fine to quote the Harvard study, but then to add:
“Cows milk ingested by humans… can cause autism, cancer, weight gain, bad skin, diarrhea, bloating, gas, cramps, vomiting, headaches, rashes, and asthma.”
It would be great if you could cite ANY studies that show a direct, causal link between milk consumption and autism or cancer. Again, I said a DIRECT, CAUSAL LINK – not a weak association that could be easily explained by confounders or a poorly-designed study. Furthermore, the Harvard study states that it is the SATURATED FAT in many forms of milk that is the problem, NOT the milk itself. So if you like milk, drink fat-free milk – problem solved!
Furthermore, milk won’t cause the other symptoms you mentioned (gas, bloating, cramps, diarrhea, etc.) UNLESS a person has a metabolic defect or other underlying pathology (like lactose intolerance, for example).
I’m just appalled by your article because you’re twisting scientific studies to support your own agenda. Again, it’s fine to advocate a lifestyle that’s dairyless, but don’t use false or misleading information to do so. It’s dishonest and incredibly irresponsible.
Whaats wrong with stating the truth? Milk is for cows, not for humans.
Casein is a known carcinogen. Look it up.
Casein is in breast milk also… obviously you don’t know what you are talking about. Take a food science class before passing along incorrect information. Or you can read Fennema’s Food Chemistry book… it’s on amazon.com
Thank you, Med Student, for saying what every intelligent and responsible reader was thinking.
To the writer of this article and other readers:
If you want to drink milk, drink milk. If drinking the “breast-milk” of another animal is weird to you, then don’t drink it. BTW, humans are not the only animals that consume other species milk as a means of survival.
Milk is not the problem, modern, industrial farming practices are.
Stop fear mongering and do some legitimate research.
Med Student, adult humans (and probably all adult mammals, actually) are all lactose intolerant. Our bodies stop creating lactase when we are pre-school age because aren’t designed to consume ANY type of milk any more. Do some research. They didn’t teach you that in medical school? That’s because you’re not an integrative health counselor – you’re a med student who doesn’t need to know a thing about nutrition.
The fact that you didn’t know adult humans are lactose intolerant completely voids any points you think you may have made, haha.
absolutely true. I am a nurse practitioner. We learned that of all the MDs in the US, about 6:100 study at least one course of nutrition. that’s because they treat illness. not keep people well, and prevent it. it’s twisted. med schools pump out little mini MDs who do and say exactly what they are/were told. The very few who don’t are few and very far between. I wish it were not so. These people were NOT chosen to enter med schools for their free thinking ability…THAT is one thing of which you can be sure.
You are appalled? Well, my my, would you prefer the BILLION dollar dairy industry to PROVE that their crap product is BAD for you which it is? you can BET they will NOT be doing that any time soon. how about a bit of information by an MD who has devoted his LIFE to studying and speaking out against a billion dollar illness industry built on lies who just want money, and don’t care how they get it? if you DO want that, and FREE, you can go to dr. mcdougall’s site. you can watch truth or dairy. none of us has any agenda, but you can bet the dairy industry has one…to protect their BILLION dollar industry of lies. anyone who believes a corporation has citizen’s best interest at heart, obviously have deluded themselves into thinking corporations actually HAVE hearts in the first place. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGCdc9quABU&feature=player_embedded
If you are interested in an actual STUDY that connects DAIRY and AUTISM or CANCER – simply READ the CHINA STUDY. Or talk to any Mother of an autistic child. It’s irresponsible to leave comments like this before doing YOUR research. PS… how much is the dairy lobbyist paying you to leave these comments? xoxo Proud VEGANS
Support small farmers! Drink raw milk! Veganism is bad for the planet (too much wheat and soy grown unsustainably) and unhealthy for the body (dietary deficiencies due to lack of good fats, B vitamins, and overconsumption of starches, grains, and soy).
What about the vegans who eat no soy or grains?!! there are a lot of RAW FOOD VEGANS who are very healthy-interestingly enough the for mentioned diet has cured most every disease known to humans including cancer! I do agree that everyone should SUPPORT SMALL, for that matter ANY SIZE ORGANIC farms.
[...] (USDA) and nutrition experts everywhere with the “Healthy Eating Plate” food guide. … Via girliegirlarmy.com Share this: Tagged with: dairy • health literacy • Obesity Prevention • public [...]
seems like another person trying to debunk research in order to try to alleviate their own guilt. Get a clue medstudent, dairy is not only one of the most horribly cruel and brutal industries in the world but toxic to the human body, no matter how much fat you take out. More than 60% of adults cannot digest milk, but no, good idea, keep drinking it. Milk is provided by a mother for its child. Biologically the child stops taking the milk from its mother when it NEEDS to. Once that need is gone, there is no reason to ingest it. And I’m speaking about breast milk. A human being at no point needs the milk of another species.
I can think of at least a dozen industries worse than dairy and 40% of adults can still digest milk, its awesome.
Raw milk is still very healthy and generally quite digestable. It provides all of the benefits lacking in mass-produced milk.
interestingly enough to date all persons I have known who have been tested for food allergies ( immunolabs ) has tested positive ( allergic ) to cows milk. Sadly not only is the industry cruel it is also destructive to the planet and it’s people. We are not cows therefor why do humans drink an milk after infancy?! And there is plenty of research pointing to many health problems from dairy consumption. It being high in fat is just but one. Fat free is no less allergenic than whole milk. Want milk try Almond, coconut or other nut milks — soy?!!!! GMO frankin estrogen carcinogenic does not seem a wise choice either. Like you I do not support “factory” grown gunk. Can’t call it Farming as what constitutes a farm is hardly what these places are.
Watch FOOD MATTERS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGkQ_6KWNhA&feature=fvsr
I knew I was lactose intolerant from childhood but there was no name for it then. My whole family uses very little dairy due to intolerance. I had a foster child maturing too fast because she liked the hormone milk. Hard to explain all the problems with dairy to kids. I had two other foster children intolerant and keeping them from ice cream was difficult.
Milk, also known as Liquid Veal, is not part of a healthy or ethical diet.
Dairy is the PERFECT food for baby calves, not another species. It’s so logical if you step away from what you’ve always known something to be. We also enslaved human beings not that long ago (and many places still do) – just because is not a good enough excuse. Compassion is the only choice when ethical living is key.
Joyce, there is a GREAT post on GGA about all the vegan ice cream options, use the search engine and find it. It’s SO helpful with kids.
The hormones, genetiv modification and additives used commonly in dairy production the USA are illegal in many countries in the EU. It is actually common knowledge amongst scientists that it is very unhealthy to drink factory farmed American milk.
I was hoping to see some source info in this. Guess I’ll start Googling…
http://www.health.harvard.edu/plate/healthy-eating-plate
It recommends 1-2 servings of dairy a day. So milk is not the devil’s juice?
I don’ t care what you say, I’m not putting Bok Choy in my coffee.
LOL, why would you? There are some great organic soy creamer options!! I never thought I could give up m creamer. that was my last vice before becoming vegan.. Wildwood’s soy creamer is really good, I like it BETTER than half and half!!
If only a family of 5 could afford the expensive vegan alternatives. It’s just not practical for us… And someone like my mom, who is not allowed to ingest soy for the rest of her life due to breast cancer, also has difficulty with these choices…
Mom,
Non dairy milk is EXPONENTIALLY cheaper than dairy milk. Almond milk is fabulously cheap, delicious, and tasty. Go to your local health food store and price it out.
Xo
Another Mom
Why would you want to give your kids unhealthy dairy milk? Even if it did cost a few extra pennies. Which it doesn’t. I’d sooner give my kids water than milk any day and twice on Sunday!
Okay, what’s with the need for vegan “alternatives”? Get back to the basics, people! everything you need can be made cheaply using fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds… want to make some delicious almond milk? blend soaked almonds with water, vanilla, splash of agave or stevia, use a mesh nut-milk bag or “cheese-cloth” to strain and there ya go! No need for processed anything! It saddens me how blind some sheeple, err, I mean people are! We are meant to drink milk from our own species during infancy and THAT IS IT…
Hey Mark
You only have almond,soy, coconut, rice, oat, cashew, and rice milk to choose from… only a billion options of gourmet vegan creamers available. Hit up a health food store and do a taste test. You will be PLEASANTLY surprised.
Yeah, goat milk is much better
Dumb… goats milk is DAIRY. Did you attend school, “Bastard”?
This is nothing new but it is great that Harvard has sent this report to USDA. Will it have any impact on society? Will it wake people up to the fact that cows’ milk are meant for calves and not humans? Hence all the diseases and sufffering from childhood. How many vegan kids do we know who have recurrent colds, sinusitis, skin allergies, asthma to name a few ailments? Start asking your vegan friends.
Are those side effects also documented from the ingestion of raw milk? I doubt it.
Dairy is DAIRY, ya dumb “Bastard.” Go ahead and drink it up and keep those unfortunate dairy side affects coming… you must stink! VEGAN FOR LIFE!!
Tricia, I understand you are passionate about this, actually so am I! However, being insulting/immature is not the way to win someone over if they would have thought about this a little more deeply in the future. I really am sorry if this offends you. The reason I say this is based on what non-vegetarian/vegans tell me; the behavior you are portraying is doing the opposite- that it makes us all look (no offense) “crazy and unreliable”. No offense meant, but lets promote through education and kindness. Do not punish others because of their ignorance- rather, through maturity, lets give them a reason to not push against curiosity to the information we give them. Thanks, have a good day.
The bottom line is, do what thou wilt. So if people wish to be ignorant to science and scientific studies which prove the negative effects of dairy and dairy farming, so be it.This is whats wrong with the world = selfishness, gluten and ignorance for a personal gain and indulgence. SCIENCE is for educating us on the truth. Where not questioning the existence of god here, facts are facts.
Preach!! You got it!
Cats drink milk from other species. I’ve seen it!
yes, and Ive seen lots of other instances, but do they continue to drink it for life?
@DEE
“How many vegan kids do we know who have recurrent colds, sinusitis, skin allergies, asthma to name a few ailments? Start asking your vegan friends.”
Of my two vegan friends, both have colds. So, I’d say about 100% of my vegan friends has something wrong with them.
@Billy Of the THOUSANDS OF VEGANS I personally know… you are 100% wrong. All my non vegan friends have serious health, fertility, and weight issues. My VEGAN friends are pinnacles of health. How much do you get paid by the dairy industry to troll blogs promoting HEALTHFUL living?
Source?
“However, the healthiest or safest amount of dietary calcium hasn’t yet been established. ”
Straight from Harvard’s website.
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/calcium-full-story/index.html
Also the argument “my non-vegan friends” is uh… a huge fallacy. Prove your argument by showing me you’ve spent a good deal of time researching it and provide links to adequate, legit sources.
OF COURSE IT INCLUDES RAW MILK!! Dairy is dairy. If it’s liquid mucus that comes from another species… skip it!
Great article, good to see Harvard is putting out their findings, even at the risk of offending the multi billion dollar dairy/cruelty industry.
@ Med Student – maybe your agenda is the old information your are being taught at med school, like the food pyramid advocated by the meat and dairy industry. Listen to yourself arguing like a little student FOR the abuse of animals and the poisoning of humans. Wakey wakey Med Student.
“Dairy causes autism”? Please people, let’s focus on the wealth of real evidence that a vegan diet is healthy without resorting to this.
Ashley,
Dairy IS connected to autism according to numerous studies we have read. Do some googling, or I’m happy to share resources.
What about other people in various parts of the USA and countries that consume milk from: Goats and Camels, and milk from their own native bovines.
I know the image is pure propaganda, but I agree with the first comment, the least this entry could do is site sources and get one-on-one accounts, not stuff randomly pulled from the internet by angry vegans who will naturally favor their own view.
I am lactose intolerant, and have no issue with someone consuming dairy. Not all dairy farms are prisons for cows, and it is insulting to farmers who do a great deal for their country when it comes to livestock.
Unico,
A brilliant commentator left this recently to someone else with your reply, and I’ll just recycle it for you as well;
“Comment:
You’ve only made me think twice about your sanity! Are you for real? The entire premise by which you attempt to debunk environmental veganism is balanced quite wobbly upon the most unlikely, comical, and radical fantasy where everyone globally would suddenly go vegan overnight leaving billions of farm animals to roam free.
This would NEVER happen – but it conveniently suits your argument.
It is nice, however, that you admit to how unsustainable feeding an increasing livestock population is, which is on a dangerous rise due to increased global demand for animal products in places like China. Supply and demand.
Even if this ridiculous fantasy did happen, do you really think all of these new vegans would simply let all these animals go roam free without spay, neuter or euthanasia systems in place? We have such unsustainably large numbers of livestock consuming resources at a losing ratio of water/food to meat/dairy, not because they’re having sex (most of these animals are so genetically mutated to be huge that they can’t reproduce naturally, they need to be inseminated) but because we continue to breed them.
A more likely scenario, and one that is actually the current trend we are seeing is that as demand decreases, so decreases the number of livestock that are bred. Last year, there was a decline in the number of animals as low as the 1950s. (source) http://southeastfarmpress.com/livestock/kentucky-us-cattle-numbers-decrease
I just don’t buy your bull-crap. Har har. But, quite literally – there are plant-based fertilizers and organic methodologies for growing crops that do not require livestock or chemical pesticides. (Source) http://www.goveganic.net/rubrique16.html
You clearly haven’t done any research, and for someone that is attempting to make a scientific argument about ecology, society and economics, I seriously challenge your evidence, your research and ask for some citations at the very least.”