Dairy products are popular and highly regarded in the US thanks to the many years of advertising and promotion of milk, ice cream, yogurt and other milk based products on TV and in our schools. From the “Got Milk?” ads to the “Milk your Diet” claims of milk facilitating weight loss, we have been brainwashed into thinking that we need dairy in our diets for proper nutrition and bone health. We have an obesity epidemic in this country due to several factors including increased consumption of animal products, including dairy. To make matters worse, the government is now suggesting on the USDA Food Pyramid (which has been greatly influenced by food lobbyist, not nutritionists) that we need 3 servings of dairy instead of the previous 1 1/2. And, so that the public can meet those needs, the dairy industry is working with restaurants and schools to provide more new products so we can be sure to find dairy wherever we go. This translates to big profits for the dairy industry and diminishing health for Americans.

It’s time for a wake up call! Let’s take a look at some of the common myths about dairy and understand what we can do to improve our health without it:

Myth #1. Milk is a “health food”. Not really. Dairy and animal products lack the nutrients that give us protection against degenerative diseases like cancer and heart disease. Fiber, antioxidants, phytochemicals, folate, Vitamin E, and plant proteins are all protective nutrients that come from plant sources. Dairy is instead an abundant source of saturated fat and cholesterol, two substances scientifically linked to cancer, obesity, and heart disease. If you consume any form of dairy (whole fat, low fat or non fat) on a regular basis, along with daily servings of any type of meat, you are consuming a diet high in animal protein, and diets high in those sources leach calcium from bones due to their elevated phosphorous content.

Myth #2. Kids NEED Milk to grow. Not true. What they need is a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, some in their raw state, in order to get a wide variety of nutrients from food sources that are protective against disease. Most parents feed their kids whole milk, which is loaded with artery-clogging saturated fat and cholesterol. For parents following the USDA Food Pyramid and feeding their kids the recommended three cups of whole milk each day, their children are getting 24 grams of saturated fat! Add that to any cheese, yogurt, ice cream, meat or processed foods a child consumes in a day and you can see why so many children are struggling with weight issues. Besides contributing to arthrosclerosis, dairy products consumed early in life have been linked with Type I Diabetes, ear infections, and for infants under one year, iron deficiency.

Breast milk is the best nutritional beverage for infants under one year, and it is optimal for them to have it to age 2. For toddlers and older kids, filtered water or bottled spring water is the best drink choice. A lot of kids and adults over eat because they are not properly hydrated (and not consuming enough plant fiber). Drinking half your weight in ounces each day ensures proper hydration which is absolutely necessary for a growing body.

Myth #3. Dairy products are the best source of calcium. It is true that dairy products contain a lot of calcium. However, only 32% of the calcium in dairy is absorbable by the body. Compare that to the calcium in dark green vegetables and other plant foods where 50% or more is absorbable- making foods like kale, bok choy, broccoli, swiss chard, collards, tofu, and almonds the better way to get your calcium.

So, if you’ve “Got Milk”, or cheese, or yogurt in your refrigerator, make it your last carton, slice, or container. The myths have been debunked and it’s time to get calcium from health promoting sources.