Why It May Be Time To Stop Drinking Milk For Good

At least cow’s milk that is. For how many years did the milk industry get away with touting the milk mustache as the badge of good health, providing us with all the calcium and protein we’ll ever need right? Today, the most informed researchers, both professional and casual know better. “Got Milk?” Not if you’re a pursuer of a healthy diet. Today’s processed milk is far from healthy and is essentially a dead liquid, devoid of any real nutritional value.

Twenty or more years ago, the move away from milk for most people was rooted in concerns about lactose intolerance, but today it’s the fact that plant-based alternatives are far healthier.

In recent years consuming milk has been linked to cancer, diabetes, asthma, acne and even weak and fragile bones. The alternatives, meanwhile, can be low in calories and fats, and often have the added appeal of new and interesting flavors.

In many Western countries, milk consumption has been falling since the 1970s, and due to more people informing themselves on the dangers of dairy, consumption is well below recommended levels and that is good news for public health and bad news for the milk industry. In 2010, the official Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommended 2.5 cup equivalents (about 0.6 liters) of dairy products per day for children aged 4 to 8, and 3 cups for anyone over 8. Average consumption for adults in the US is at less than half the suggested intake.