My friend Sal asked me the other day why I never recommend milk to clients.  I told him that milk is not the best choice for optimal health and is actually bad for you in many ways. 

Why do you think the American Dairy Association has such an aggressive marketing approach with their “Got Milk?” commercials and hiring sexy celebreties and superstar athletes like David Beckham?  Could it be they don’t want you to know everything about milk?

Here’s why I don’t recommend milk and other dairy products:

1. Whole milk is very high in saturated fat.
2. Whole milk has a lot of cholesterol.
3. Milk and dairy products are highly processed and have traces of antibiotics and penicillin which places a big burden on your system.
4. Not good for people who have asthma or other breathing problems.
5. In my opinion, skim milk tastes horrible (too watered down).

You most likely already knew these things, but here’s a couple of things you need to consider.  According to Harvey Diamond, author of “Fit For Life,” he says:

• “Cow milk has casein, which coagulates in the stomach and forms large, tough, dense, and difficult to digest curds that are adapted to the four-stomach digestive apparatus of a cow.  Once inside the human system, this thick mass of goo puts a tremendous burden on the body to somehow get rid of it.  In other words, a huge amount of energy must be spent in dealing with it.  Unfortunately, some of this gooey substance hardens and adheres to the lining of the intestines and prevents the absorption of nutrients into the body.  Result:  lethargy.
• “Also, the by-products of milk digestion leave a great deal of toxic mucus in the body.  It’s very acidic, and some of it is stored in the body until it can be dealt with at a later time.  The next time you are going to dust your home, smear some paste all over everything and see how easy it is to dust.  Dairy products do the same to the inside of your body.  That translates into more weight instead of weight loss.  Casein, by the way, is the base of one of the strongest glues used in woodworking.”

A better option is soy milk.  Soy milk is low in saturated fat, lower in calories, contains a good amount of protein (about 6 - 7 grams per serving), and doesn’t have any cholesterol.  And, the best part, soy milk is loaded with vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients (isoflavones).  Phytonutrients are the extracts from fruits and vegetables which have been proven to reverse/prevent cancer and other diseases.  Cow milk does not have phytonutrients.

But what about calcium from whole milk?  Soy milk has the same amount of calcium per serving as cow milk.  Also, there are other food items that have a good amount of calcium, such as spinach, brocolli, nuts, and various fruits.

Harvey Diamond always used to say “Cows don’t even drink cow milk.  Only baby calves drink cow milk when they are born.”

Look into soy milk.  It tastes great too! (Try Silk Vanilla)