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Originally Posted by
Irizary
I'm not really sure about that. Seriously, can you refute each point with a good source?
I should have said, it would be really easy for someone in an email to consider each of those points as easy to argue against and easily feel that the sender is rather naiive. In other words, there isn't anything really compelling to convince the reader that dairy really is harmful.
"You can decrease your risk of osteoporosis by reducing sodium and animal protein intake in the diet,5-7 increasing intake of fruits and vegetables,8 exercising,9 and ensuring adequate calcium intake from plant foods such as leafy green vegetables and beans, as well as calcium-fortified products such as breakfast cereals and juices."
Right. In other words, drinking milk doesn't cause osteoporosis. A poor diet and lack of strength-building (weight-bearing) exercise certainly can, however.
"Dairy products-including cheese, ice cream, milk, butter, and yogurt-contribute significant amounts of cholesterol and fat to the diet"
What about non-fat milk and non-fat yogurt?
"Breast and prostate cancers have also been linked to consumption of dairy products, presumably related, at least in part, to increases in a compound called insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I)."
iirc, it's due to hormone use in milk, and hasn't been proven at all. Words like "might" and "presumably" won't really convince people.
"Insulin-dependent diabetes (Type I or childhood-onset) is linked to consumption of dairy products."
Given the number of children who eat dairy, why don't more kids have diabetes?
"lactose intolerance"
If you're not lactose intolerant, this point is pretty useless.
"Consumption of milk may not provide a consistent and reliable source of vitamin D in the diet."
Vitamin D is added to milk, as it is to soymilk.
"Synthetic hormones such as recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH) are commonly used in dairy cows to increase the production of milk"
And if you drink organic or non-RBST milk, this doesn't affect you. And many, many people are going this route.
"Milk proteins, milk sugar, fat, and saturated fat in dairy products may pose health risks for children and lead to the development of chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and formation of athersclerotic plaques that can lead to heart disease."
yes, and so can french fries, fried food, sitting on the couch all day, living with a smoker, etc.
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The vast majority of people don't eat organic dairy. But I also agree that animal foods in small amounts do not ruin health. That's why I think the health argument is not a strong argument for veg*nism (maybe a strong argument for cutting down on animal products, but not necessarily eliminating).
exactly. And, more & more people are eating dairy that is at least rBST/rGBH free.