Should Adults Really Still Drink Milk Everyday?

“Why are we, as adults, still drinking milk?”

Amid a rather lengthy telephone conversation filled with solutions to solving the world’s problems, a good friend of mine posed the question, “Why are we, as adults, still drinking milk?” Hmmmm. Good question.

If we take the time to think about it, in nature, all mammals are nursed and breastfed as the best practice to receive the most optimal health benefits as infants. As humans, if breast milk is not obtainable, it is replaced with the milk of cows or goats. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests breastfeeding or milk up until the age of 1, or even a little longer. However, just by mere observation, we are the only mammals that still drink milk as adults. Why?

According to Healthline, drinking milk can improve your health in 5 science-based ways:

1.      Milk is packed with nutrients.

2.     Milk is a good source of quality protein.

3.     Milk benefits bone health.

4.     Milk helps prevent weight gain.

5.     Milk is a versatile ingredient.

The Department of Health and Human Services, “Milk is an excellent source of vitamins and minerals, including ‘nutrients of concern,’ which are under-consumed by many populations.” Even the U.S. Department of Agriculture promotes that adults need to drink at least 3 cups of milk a day within their “Choose My Plate” healthy eating program. With so many benefits and health recommendations, it can be considered a no-brainer that we should all be drinking milk.

But what about those who are lactose intolerant who don’t drink milk at all? Many of them do just fine.

In a New York Times article, there’s a reference to The Journal of Bone and Mineral Research who, in 2011, published a meta-analysis. This meta-analysis of six studies containing nearly 200,000 women, examined whether the consumption of milk protected against hip fracture of middle-aged or older adults. The results found no correlation between milk consumption and lower rates of fractures. This isn’t the only example of research supporting this theory. Several more meta-analyses were conducted by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the BMJ group, and JAMA Pediatrics to name a few. However, none of the research found in these projects showed any association between drinking milk and a decrease in the risk of bone fractures.

Considering this information and the research results found, none of this negates the fact that other research still proves that milk has many health benefits.

My perspective: everything in moderation.

What say ye?