Whether adults should drink milk or not is becoming a controversial topic. Is it good or bad for the health of adults is a topic which we need to look at in depth. There are people on both sides – some who love milk and don’t need any reason to drink it, and others who just cannot bear the thought of it. Those in between are in two minds and want to know more about the benefits and disadvantages of drinking milk. If you’re one of them, then it’s time to check out whether milk drinking healthy for adults or not, and either ditch or drink your daily glass of milk.
Is milk drinking healthy for adults
There are many people who claim that milk is nothing but poison. Many articles on the net will tell you about the supposed evils of the beverage which 99% of us have consumed in childhood. Take a look at the pros and cons of drinking milk:
Pros of drinking milk
1. Milk is packed with nutrients
One of the reasons why milk drinking healthy for adults, is because it has more nutrients than any other food. It provides the body 18 out of the 22 essential nutrients. It has more calcium, phosphorus, zinc, potassium, protein and zinc per calorie, which makes it good for bones.
Iron, vitamin E, vitamin B6, selenium, vitamin K, riboflavin and thiamin which otherwise would have to be derived from supplements. It contains saturated and unsaturated fats and cholesterol, which may not be great for those who have high cholesterol.
2. Milk might help to burn fat
In a study conducted by Tennessee University researchers, it was revealed that when people who were overweight downed 3 servings of rich-in-calcium dairy managed to lose a greater amount of calories than those who drank less milk. Additionally, researchers found that calcium supplements do not work better than milk.
This led them to believe that milk proteins too help in weight loss. But do refrain from drinking a glass of milk with donuts – this will never lead to weight loss. Watching what you eat and drinking your daily dose of dairy might lead to a slimmer and fitter you. So is drinking milk drinking healthy for adults? Maybe.
3. Milk might even build muscle
Mothers all over the world believe firmly in the miraculous nutritional benefits of milk. But when you’re an adult, do you really need as many nutrients as you once did? Maybe if you’re building muscle, you should drink milk. Milk contains 20% whey protein and 80% casein. Whey is considered to be ‘fast protein’ as it breaks down quickly into the amino acids and is absorbed by the body/bloodstream. This is why it’s a very good food to consume when you’re done with your workout.
Casein is digested slowly by the body. It’s therefore ideal food to provide smaller doses of protein with small quantities of protein over a longer time. So a big glass of milk gives your body a good combination of proteins which build muscle. This argument therefore shows milk drinking healthy for adults. It controls appetite too, as a study in 2013 found. So whether you’re trying to lose weight or build muscle, milk could be an excellent addition to your diet.
4. Dental health
One glass of the white beverage contains up to 30% of daily calcium requirement for adults. Apart from being good for bones, the magnesium and potassium present in milk are great to maintain healthy teeth. You might try drinking the fortified milk, which has vitamin D. Vitamin D is required to balance the phosphorus and calcium in the body. There is some scientific proof that vitamin D reduces dental plaque in the elderly.
5. Prevents diabetes and protects the heart
Several studies point towards whey protein, present in milk, helping to prevent Type 2 diabetes. This might be due to balancing the blood sugar. The cholesterol in milk is of the ‘good’ kind. So this might be able to protect the heart from many cholesterol related heart diseases.
Cons of drinking milk as an adult
Do hormones present in milk make you sick
While discussing milk drinking healthy for adults, you have to seriously consider the effect of hormones being transferred from milk into your body. The FDA approved use of rBGH hormone in cattle to boost milk production. Many people are afraid these hormones will harm them. But unlike other hormones, rBGH and IGF hormones have to be injected to be effective. The process of digestion destroys the hormones. So though you will not be harmed by these hormones, the cows which are injected with these hormones may contract mastitis.
Does milk make you antibiotic resistant
Some scientists claim that drinking milk derived from cows which were given antibiotics may make humans antibiotic resistant. But this has never been proved conclusively.
Acne
One of the common side effects of drinking milk is adult acne. Interestingly, acne has been linked to skimmed and low fat milk but not cheese or whole milk. If you have been affected by adult acne, and never been able to pin point a cause, milk might be the culprit. So is milk drinking healthy for adults – not if you’re prone to burst out in pimples.
Eczema might worsen due to milk
Some foods have been found to worsen eczema, and dairy including milk are listed in those foods. Adults who suffer from rosacea should avoid milk as it can trigger the condition. But it’s the opposite with children – pregnant mothers and mothers who breastfeed pass on a resistance to eczema and other food allergies to their children.
Lactose intolerance
Adults’ allergies may get aggravated by milk, and is one of the common side effects of milk. 75% of world population suffers from varying degrees of lactose intolerance.
Milk can cause cancer
Excess dietary calcium derived from milk increases prostate cancer risk, as well as the risk for developing ovarian cancer.
Drinking milk in moderation in adulthood is the best way to satisfy your craving for milk. And if you belong to the category of people who are not in favor of drinking milk as adults, then also its fine – you don’t have to force yourself to drink it, as you can get all the nutrients you need from other sources.