Does milk cause cancer? 6 myths and truths about milk

First, can milk be bad for bone health?

A study by Professor Carl Mikkelsen of Uppsala University in Sweden found that hip fractures and mortality rates were higher in people who consumed too much milk on a daily basis than those who did not.

"His study is an observational study, so the results should be interpreted with caution," Professor Carl Mickelson said, adding that the Swedish observational study did not show a risk of death or a similar pattern in other settings.

He added that it didn't mean that he shouldn't drink milk. "It means that it is not recommended to drink more than 2~3 cups of milk a day," he said, adding, "Koreans don't drink so much milk that it worsens their health, so there is no need to worry." In fact, Professor Carl Mickelson followed up Swedes who drank more than three glasses of milk a day. According to Statistics Korea, as of 2016, the average consumption of milk in Korea is 135 cups a year, which is less than 1 cup a day, so there is no need to worry too much about milk.

The concern that milk actually causes osteoporosis was sparked by Japanese doctor Hiromi Shinya. In his book, he argued that "the fat in milk produces oxidized lipids, which causes osteoporosis and other diseases." However, in 2007, Hiromi Shinya publicly apologized to the media, saying that her allegations were wrong.

It's no secret that milk supports bone health. According to a 2009 study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, at least 11 studies have shown that higher dairy intake increases bone density. The Harvard T.H. Chan School also recommends eating calcium-rich foods, such as low-fat dairy products, as a way to prevent osteoporosis.

Second, Does milk cause cancer?

Amid conspiracy theories that unhealthy milk has been turned into a healthy food by lobbying the dairy industry, there are claims that milk causes cancer. <Why Women Should Stop Milk> Jane Plant, author of the book, also claimed that milk causes breast cancer.

Those who believe that milk is harmful explain that growth hormone increases the concentration of IGF-1 in milk too much, which has the effect of causing cancer cells to multiply. IGF-1 is an insulin-like growth factor produced by the liver that has insulin-like functions such as normal cell growth, fatty acid oxidation, and involvement in sugar metabolism.

However, the effect of growth hormone administered to dairy cows on increasing IGF-1 is minimal. In addition, IGF-1 is broken down during digestion, so it cannot affect the body orally. Above all, you don't have to worry about the growth hormone in milk. This is because in Korea, growth hormones are not given to cattle.

The Milk Charity Committee explained, "There is no need to administer artificial hormones at a separate cost because domestically bred cows are high-capacity cows that produce 28 kg of milk," and Lee Man-jae, director of the Korea Institute of Dairy Processing and Technology, explained, "There is no reason to use growth hormone drugs to increase production since the milk production quota system (quota system that restricts production) was put into operation since 2002."

In addition, there is no need to worry about antibiotics because since 1995 there is a system in place that immediately disposes of any milk containing even 1 part per million.

Third, it is contaminated with cow's blood and pus?

This is not the case. Before milking, only milk from healthy cows is produced because somatic cytology or mastitis early detection tools are often used to identify hidden mastitis precautions and take preventive measures. Dr. Kang Shin-ho of the Seoul Milk Research Institute said, "Just as a person receives a regular check-up at a hospital or takes medicine and injections when he is sick, dairy cows are also regularly check-up or frequently diagnosed by veterinarians stationed in the region."

Dairy cows are raised in a fairly standardized environment. Calves and dairy cows are adequately supplied with roughage and rich feed based on scientific specification standards, and the area of the cattle shed and playground are also essential for the condition control of the cows.

In addition, there is no need to worry because only raw milk is collected from young, healthy cows. Many people are worried about cows repeatedly going through pregnancy and childbirth, but Korean cows produce milk for a short period of time, with an average of a little less than three milking cycles. This is because after 4 births, the production decreases, making it less economical and vulnerable to disease.

Fourth, does it cause obesity because it has a lot of fat?

Milk doesn't contain as much fat as you might think. If you look at the fat content chart of milk, it contains 3.2 grams of fat per 100 grams. With the exception of some fish and shellfish, there are also rare foods that contain less fat than milk. If fat is the problem, then it makes sense to limit meat intake rather than milk. What's more, the fat in milk is not a big problem because it is mainly made up of fats that are short in carbon and easily digested.

If you're worried about the fat in your milk, you can opt for low-fat milk. In the case of low-fat milk, it contains 1.5 g of fat. Low-fat milk is less nutty than regular milk, but it's not inferior in terms of nutrition. It contains most of the good nutrients such as calcium and essential amino acids. People with high cholesterol or abdominal obesity who may develop adult diseases can drink low-fat milk.