The Ironic Risks of Drinking Low Fat Milk
It’s standard practice for dairy producers to improve the protein content of skim milk and low fat milk by adding dried milk powder to it. This dried milk is produced by forcing skim milk through tiny holes at high temperatures and pressures which damages its nutrients. This also causes the milk’s cholesterol to become oxidized which is a legitimate risk for heart disease.2-4,16-22 Ironically, the milk’s natural and nutritious saturated fat is removed because it’s supposedly unhealthy, but then a more likely promoter of heart disease is added. Although the amount of oxidized cholesterol in skim milk and reduced fat milk may be small, there’s really not much point in taking the risk.
Another potential problem with consuming skim milk or low fat milk is vitamin A deficiency. Because vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin, its concentration in milk is reduced through the removal of fat. As a result, when skim milk or low fat milk is consumed and digested, the vitamin A needed for the assimilation of its protein is drawn from the liver. This can deplete the body’s reserve of vitamin A, and in turn, increase the risk of autoimmune disease and cancer.5
The Politics of Low Fat Milk
We’re consistently told by the USDA and dietitians that skim milk and low fat milk are the healthiest choices, and probably not by coincidence, this is exactly what the dairy industry wants us to believe. This is because the cream that’s extracted from whole milk to reduce its fat content can be used for other dairy products and therefore generate more profit from the same quantity of milk.
According to the Center for Responsive Politics, the dairy industry donated nearly $5 million to political campaigns6 and spent nearly another $5 million on lobbying7. Based on this, the dairy industry is clearly interested in keeping politicians on their side, and their contributions are very likely to be a significant factor behind the mainstream belief that it’s healthier to drink skim milk and low fat milk.
Homogenization is Another Cause for Concern
Homogenization changes the nutritional quality of milk by altering the structure of its fat molecules. During homogenization, milk is forced at high pressure and temperature through tiny holes to break its fat molecules into smaller globules. This results in fat molecules with a much higher than normal membrane concentration of casein and whey proteins which has the potential to increase their allergenic properties. In addition, beneficial components have been found in the membrane of the fat molecules in milk that help suppress pathogenic organisms and protect against multiple sclerosis, Alzehimer’s disease, depression, and stress, but homogenization eliminates these benefits.5
Most of the milk available in grocery stores is both pasteurized and homogenized. Even though pasteurization reduces the quality of milk and promotes the use of poor dairy farming practices, it at least serves an arguably important purpose. It destroys many of the pathogens that can contaminate milk and cause infection. In contrast, the only benefit of homogenization is that it prevents the cream in milk from separating and rising to the top by keeping its fat molecules evenly dispersed. This is nothing more than a matter of convenience and aesthetics, neither of which justify the alteration of a food’s nutrients.
For your health
Moderator: Chip
