There is no doubt about the food content of dairy products; rich in proteins, carbohydrates, fats along with the natural and added essential vitamins and minerals. Yet it may be worthwhile to pay some heed to the warnings and alarms arising in certain quarters.

Let us consider some pros and cons of milk as a wholesome food.

Advantages	Disadvantages
Nutritive value  One 250ml serving of whole milk contains: As much protein as a grade A large egg More thiamine, riboflavin and niacin than a slice of 100 per cent whole wheat bread Half the cholesterol of 100g of sole or cod fish Less fat than 250g of lean ground beef Nearly 75 per cent of the vitamin A in half a cup of cooked broccoli Courtsey: Fonterra
Proteins  Milk contains all the essential amino acids in the correct proportion we require.	Protein from milk is absorbed into the blood undigested. This badly affects the immune system. A1 beta-casein present in some cows can bring about many diseases. The protein in dairy foods causes calcium loss…more is lost than is taken in. That is why countries like the United States whose intake of meat and/or dairy is high also tend to have the greatest incidence of osteoporosis.  http://www.livrite.com/calcium.htm
Fats Good source of energy. Whole Milk contains 3.3% Low-fat milks, between 0.1 to 1.5%	Dairy foods contain saturated fats, which have been associated with increased blood cholesterol levels. “Milk fat is very good to make you fat”- Bad medicine. "Good for brawn but not for the brains" "Cow’s milk is to turn a 200-puound calf in to a 2,000-pound cow." Could this be the reason for obesity?
Carbohydrates Milk sugar (lactose) up to 8%	The enzyme ‘lactase’ is necessary to digest lactose. This enzyme is not present in some adults.
Vitamins Vitamin A Essential for vision and  the immune system    Riboflavin Needed to break down the energy Vitamin B12 For new cell formation and growth	Low in Vitamin C.
Minerals Rich in Calcium and phosphorus, For healthy bones and teeth Almost as much potassium as in a banana	Low in Iron, copper and Iodine. Scandinavian countries consuming the highest dairy consumption also has the highest rate of fractures. Unfortunately, the protein in dairy foods causes calcium loss…more is lost than is taken in. That is why countries like the United States whose intake of meat and/or dairy is high also tend to have the greatest incidence of osteoporosis. It is wise not to rely on dairy foods for calcium.

More on Milk

Some of the other concerns with regard to cow milk are the hormones injected to herds to increase the milk production. rBGH. While this has not shown any adverse effects, another hormone that forms inside the cow due to this may cause disease. This hormone is banned in NZ and some other countries. Milk may contain some antibiotics given to cows.

A1 and A2 are two types of proteins called Casein. While A2 milk  is healthy A1 milk can cause disease.

“Dr Slorach's appointment follows NZFSA’s announcement in October that it would commission a review to look at the science behind the A1/A2 milk debate and NZFSA’s processes that led to its conclusion that all milk is safe. These would be conducted as two separate reviews, Lianne Dalziel said. The first, by Dr Slorach, would look at the NZFSA risk management decision-making processes and the second would re-examine the available scientific research relating to A1/A2 milk.” An extract from a Media statement 13-12- 2007

Homogenized milk is another form that’s to be avoided. As the fat globules are broken down to smaller pieces and will not separate the milk has a longer shelf-life.

“Dr. Oster's findings conclusively show that in the process of extending shelf life and stopping the cream separating out of milk, medicine has a clear culprit for increased arteriosclerosis. Dr Oster's findings link the formation of the plaque which clogs arteries directly to ingesting homogenized milk.” NZ society of Naturopaths.

Whatever said and done, it isn’t possible to remove milk and the dairy products from the diet of the people. At the moment there is no need for that either. We are not sure which way the blinking amber light will go; red or green?

It should be remembered that whole milk is extremely rich in saturated fats and is considered as ‘liquid meat’.  This may suite the rapidly growing youngsters and highly energetic groups but certainly not for the adults. It is wise for normal adults to restrict milk and dairy products to low-fat or fat free brands or to use substitutes.

Reference

1. Bad Medicine  by Christopher Wanjek

2. Devil in the milk by Keith Woodford.

Post Script

1.  An eight-year-old girl with severe rheumatoid arthritis: "...juvenile rheumatoid arthritis was a milk allergy. After avoiding dairy products, all pain was gone in three weeks."

In 1985, the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine volume 78) 1985

2.  One of the "essential" amino acids we need is methionine. [C5H11NO2S] It helps digestion, detoxification of heavy metals and muscle metabolism. When in excess, Sulphur present can produce an acid in the blood. In order to neutralize the acid, in its wisdom, the body leaches calcium from bones.

{American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 1995;61,4}

3. “About 80 percent of cows that are giving milk are pregnant and are throwing off hormones continuously.' Progesterone breaks down into androgens, which have been implicated as a factor in the development of acne”...Dr. Fisher observed that his teenage acne patients improved as soon as the milk drinking stopped.

4. "Dairy products may play a major role in the development of allergies, asthma, sleep difficulties, and migraine headaches."

Israel Journal of Medical Sciences 1983; 19(9):806-809

Courtsey  http://www.notmilk.com