Milk Has Lots of Benefits and Some Concerns
By Tom Herrin
There are all kinds of foods but few that can offer as much as milk. Many have considered it one of the few complete foods. Obviously it can supply what some people may need to survive and grow. Children rely on it from an early age as their sole source of nutrition. As they grow, they still require plenty of it. All schools that are on the federal meals programs serve milk with each meal. When I was young, we had a milk break every morning between breakfast and lunch. Most of us have tended to drink far less milk as we grew older. Some eliminate it from their diets completely.
Milk Can Still Help
If you can drink milk, it may do some good things for your health. Some believe that fats in it may help to raise good cholesterol. This is quite different from the previous belief that we should only skim milk to avoid the fats. It also has potassium and magnesium that are thought to be useful in strengthening bones and teeth. Potassium is also known to be able to help keep blood vessels more flexible, so it may help to manage blood pressure. The fact that milk is high in protein, so calorie-for-calorie it is powerful.
Some Can't Tolerate Milk
No matter how much milk seems to do for us, cows' milk makes some people ill. In some cases, it is the lactose. In others it may be one of the proteins referred to as A1. Still other people have had trouble digesting the fats in milk. The bottom line is if it makes you sick to drink, it won't do you much good to try to force it down.
Milk Alternatives Are Increasingly Popular
We are living in a time in which we have options if something does not work for us. Goats' milk has been around for a long time, and many people swear by it. There is also milk available that is labeled as lactose-free. More recently, some producers have been offering milk that is considered to be free of the A1 protein and is labeled A2. There is also almond milk that is high in calcium and comes in lots of flavors. I drink this each night before I go to bed. I prefer the vanilla flavor.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Red Oak, Tex.