Ever since I was little, dairy did not settle well in my stomach. My intestines would feel as if they were being squeezed and I'd double over in pain. Clearly, my parents had no choice but to buy me a lactose free milk.
Today, as an educated college student who is able to do my own research, I am now familiar with the nasty side effects regular animals' milk can have on my body. Because of what I now know, I have never been so thankful to have a food allergy in my life.
Is the Government Really There to Help Us?
Several U.S. Senators have recently started pushing a dairy bill called "The Dairy Act." The bill is calling for the FDA to enforce the definition of "milk." Only industries that use cow secretions to produce the drink will be allowed to label their products with the word milk.
Tammy Baldwin, a senator from Wisconsin, believes that consumers are getting confused by plant-based milk alternatives. She feels that consumers are being misled by the labeling and that this needs to change. According to Senator Baldwin, consumers are apparently unable to read or tell the difference between a cow and an almond on a milk carton.
It's All About the Money
Baldwin is attempting to protect the dairy industry, one of Wisconsin's largest industries. She claims to be concerned about the way plant-based dairy alternatives use similar labeling to regular dairy products to appeal to a wider audience, including those who also consume cow's milk. It is clear that Baldwin is prioritizing the profitability of the dairy companies over the health of people and animals.
Many large companies that mass-produce food and drinks do not necessarily care about the lives of the animals involved or whether or not they're producing a quality product. Unfortunately, in corporate America, a lot of companies only care about their bottom line. But is it fair that companies can get away with producing harmful products just to increase profits?
Money Can't Buy Good Health
Since the dairy companies have been around longer than companies that produce dairy alternative, they are larger and have a lot more money. They use this money to try to hide the negative effects their products have on people's health. For example, cow's milk is known to increase one's risk of prostate cancer because of the presence of a protein called casein, which initiates cancer cell growth. On the other hand, almond milk has been proven to suppress these same cancer cells.
"Drink Milk for Strong Bones"
Don't be believe the old myth that you need to drink milk for calcium. A medical study done in Sweden has actually shown that people who drink animal milk have had more bone fractures than those who do not. Milk inflames joints and other areas of the body, creates excess mucus, and causes irritability.
Warn Your Parents About Milk
High cholesterol is a major concern among older people, and animal products are proven to increase cholesterol. On average, one serving of milk has about 24 mg of cholesterol, whereas a serving of almond milk has none. I've decided to be precautionary and take care of my body now to prevent diseases in the future. You should do the same, and you should inform your friends and family too.
I could ramble on and on about the health problems animal milk causes and benefits that plant-based milk can provide, but I'm not here to do that. Hopefully, I have inspired you to go out and do your own research, and to not trust everything you hear in the news or on the Internet.
No one is perfect (even U.S. Congressmen), but that doesn't mean you shouldn't strive to be a better version of yourself by increasing your knowledge and improving your health. Make sure you double-check facts if you're uncertain about their validity, and look at multiple credible sources to get a full understanding of an issue. Nothing's more powerful than knowledge.