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The strong emergence and rapid consumer acceptance of plant milk has left the dairy industry scrambling to win back its former loyal audience. As the dairy industry employs science to back its marketing claims, we are finding that the science is ultimately skewed, thus validating that there’s no reason to ever return to purchasing cows’ milk.
The strong emergence and rapid consumer acceptance of plant milk has left
the dairy industry scrambling to win back its former loyal audience. As
sales of plant milk creep up to 14 percent of the total retail milk market,
the dairy industry has doubled down on old tactics to defend its position in
the eyes of consumers. One such adage that has served as a reliable crutch
for the industry is that dairy helps children “grow big and strong.” A 2017
study by the University of Toronto set out to test this claim, though its
methodology and results suggest an untold bias in favor of dairy. The
industry employs science to back its marketing claims, but when the science
is ultimately skewed, there’s no reason to ever return to purchasing cows’
milk.
A Faulty Start
Titled, “Association
between noncow milk beverage consumption and childhood height,” the
study took a clear shot at dairy’s competition. Almost immediately within
the abstract, the authors state that noncow milk such as almond and soy milk
do not contain as much protein as cows’ milk. On the contrary, both soy and
pea milk contain 8 grams of protein per cup—the exact amount of a cup of
cows’ milk. Immediately, plant milk is set up to fail in the eyes of the
reader. The vast majority of journalists don’t read full studies; the
abstract is typically all they skim before publishing a clickbait headline
claiming “Non-dairy Milk Stunts Child Growth.” By tossing in this comment
about protein and stating it as fact, the authors create a ripple effect
that perpetuates these falsities to consumers.
The Research
Abstract aside, let’s look at the research. The study included 4,146
children between the ages of 24-72 months from nine clinics in Toronto. All
participants were selected from the much larger Applied Research Group for
Kids cohort study. The children were split into two groups: cows’ milk
consumers and noncow milk consumers. Several variables were accounted for to
accurately pinpoint the effect of these two beverages including age, sex,
BMI, income bracket, and the mother’s ethnicity and height. While the
researchers did not deem cows’ milk as a miracle growth beverage, they
demonized plant milk by suggesting a causal relationship between noncow milk
consumption and decreased height. For every cup of plant milk consumed,
researchers found a 0.4 cm reduction in total height, which resulted in a
total 0.56-inch reduction for children who regularly consumed three servings
of plant milk.
Mixed Results
Looking further into the study, we found several variables in the design
that may have skewed the results. Perhaps the most glaring is the fact that
no other dietary data was collected, nor was total caloric intake.
Researchers had no idea of what foods the participants consumed other than
their assigned cups of milk or noncow milk. This opens up the study for an
enormous amount of speculation. The study is also extremely limited in its
scope—it was performed on very young children who have yet to undergo
puberty; therefore, no conclusion can be reached in regards to an
individual’s overall height. Even if young children did gain a slight height
advantage by drinking cows’ milk, there is no evidence to suggest that the
child would maintain this growth into adulthood. While this kind of
cross-sectional study may be used to begin making associations, it is not a
reliable method to establish cause and effect, as Dr. Cameron O’Connell, ND,
points out.
Cows’ Milk and Childhood Obesity
Finally, we must consider the effects of IGF-1. Children’s bodies rely more
heavily on this growth hormone than adults, but there is no need to obtain
it from an outside source. The human body—as well as the bovine body—makes
its own. In Western nations such as the US and Canada, childhood obesity is
a far greater issue than childhood height. The IGF-1 present in cows’ milk
(and all other forms of dairy) can overstimulate growth and has been linked
to both obesity in children and even cancer for adults. Dr. O’Connell
states, “Our bodies are an amazing machine and delicately balanced. If we
start to overconsume, we have a problem.” When parents add three servings of
two percent cows’ milk to their child’s diet, that adds up to just over 300
extra calories per day and an excess of growth-promoting IGF-1 over time.
The Takeaway
All parents want their children to “grow big and strong,” but at what cost?
This study looked at height in isolation with no indication of the
participant’s overall health. Does it really matter if a toddler is
half-an-inch taller than other toddlers, especially if that slight height
advantage could put him or her at a greater risk for childhood obesity or
even cancer later on? Cows’ milk may or may not help children grow, but it
very well may be outward instead of upward. The key to healthy growth and
development is based on a nutrient-dense, varied diet—it is not achieved by
guzzling another species’ breast milk.
Return to Food Hazards in Animal Flesh and By-products
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We began this archive as a means of assisting our visitors in answering many of their health and diet questions, and in encouraging them to take a pro-active part in their own health. We believe the articles and information contained herein are true, but are not presenting them as advice. We, personally, have found that a whole food vegan diet has helped our own health, and simply wish to share with others the things we have found. Each of us must make our own decisions, for it's our own body. If you have a health problem, see your own physician.