Milk ProCon.org - Is drinking milk healthy for humans?

Milk

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Is drinking milk healthy for humans?

Milk is one of the most popular beverages in the United States. We have been told it "does a body good," but some scientific studies have found that contrary to popular belief, drinking milk may do more harm to our bodies than good.

Proponents of milk say calcium and other vitamins and minerals in milk make it an important part of a healthful diet for people of all ages. They argue that milk’s benefits include weight loss, strengthening bones, improved cardiovascular and oral health, cancer prevention, and relief of PMS.

Opponents of milk argue that it contributes to obesity, calcium deficiency, allergies, heart disease, cancer, and other health ailments. They argue that claims regarding milk's benefits are merely advertising campaigns designed to promote dairy sales and that many nutritious alternatives to cow's milk exist.

Milk ProCon.org is a nonpartisan, nonprofit website that presents facts, studies, and pro and con statements usually related to pasteurized cow's milk and its effect on human health.

Pros & Cons by Category

CORE QUESTION

Is drinking milk healthy for humans?

General Background

What is milk?

What kind of milk do humans consume?

Which cultures do not consume significant quantities of milk?

Organic & Raw Milk

Is organic milk healthier than conventional milk?

Is raw milk more healthful than pasteurized milk?

Homogenized Milk

What is homogenization?

Is drinking non-homogenized milk healthier than drinking homogenized milk?

Flavored Milk

Is drinking chocolate and other flavored milks healthy?

Non-Dairy Milk

What alternatives to animal milk are consumed by humans?

Do milk alternatives like soy milk provide the same nutrition or more nutrition as animal milk?

Calcium

What is calcium?

What is the recommended amount of calcium per day?

How much calcium is in some commonly consumed foods?

Is drinking milk the best way for people to incorporate calcium into their diet?

Vitamins & Minerals in Milk

What vitamins and minerals does milk provide?

Is drinking milk a good way to get the recommended daily amount of vitamin D?

Lactose Intolerance

What is the difference between lactose intolerance and milk allergy?

What is the prevalence of lactose intolerance in the population?

Should people who are lactose intolerant consume milk anyway?

Osteoporosis, Anemia, PMS, and ADHD

Does drinking milk contribute to attention-deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD)?

Does drinking milk help to prevent osteoporosis?

Does drinking milk reduce the symptoms of PMS?

Does drinking milk inhibit iron absorption and contribute to anemia?

Infant Health and Early Puberty

What are the recommendations about infants drinking milk other than human breastmilk?

Does drinking milk cause early puberty?

Bones and Teeth

Is drinking milk a good way to build strong bones?

What is known about milk's effect on teeth?

Weight Loss

Do milk and dairy products help people lose weight?

Cancer, Heart Disease, and Diabetes

What are the pros and cons of milk's effect on cancer?

Does drinking milk increase the risk of ovarian cancer?

Does drinking milk contribute to heart disease?

Is milk consumption linked to type 1 (juvenile) diabetes?

Government Statutes & Orders

What are Agricultural Disparagement Statutes?

What are federal milk marketing orders?

Milk in Schools

Should milk be a required part of federally subsidized school meal programs?

Should flavored milk be available in schools?

Milk & the US Economy

How important is the milk and dairy industry to the US economy?

Is the price of milk controlled by the dairy industry?

Milk Advertising Campaigns

What impact have ads, such as Got Milk?, had on US milk consumption?

Are milk advertisements that claim links between milk and weight loss misleading?

Environmental Issues

What is known about dairy cows' emissions of greenhouse gases?

Does the manure generated by large dairy farms cause significant water pollution?

Do cows at large dairy farms cause significant air pollution?

Pus

What is pus?

Is there pus in milk?

Cloning

Should the FDA have approved milk produced by cloned cows for human consumption?

Artificial Bovine Growth Hormone

Is it misleading to label milk as free of the artificial growth hormone rBST/rBGH?

Is there any safety or nutritional difference in milk from cows supplemented with growth hormones such as rbST and milk from cows not supplemented with hormones?

Share your thoughts on milk and read, vote on, and reply to existing comments. Join the debate.

Critical Thinking Video Series: Is Milk Healthy for Humans?

ProCon.org Notices (archived after 30 days)

6/13/2013 – Critical Thinking Explained – What is critical thinking, and why is it so important? This episode of ProCon.org's Critical Thinking Video Series explores the ways critical thinking cuts through confusion, encourages citizen involvement, and leads to a stronger democracy.

6/7/2013 – New study shows students who discuss/debate controversial issues get higher NAEP test scores – See this and other studies showing the importance of teaching controversial issues to stimulate critical thinking, education, and informed citizenship.

Archived Notices (archived after 30 days)

Last updated on 6/13/2013 2:31:23 PM PST

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