Milk is an excellent source of calcium and protein, which is why dairy products are considered an important class of foodstuffs. But a lot of questionable ideas about milk have been making the rounds for a long time now. What are we to believe? Below, experts at National Taiwan University (NTU), Tunghai University, National Chiayi University (NCYU), and the John Tung Foundation set the record straight on some oft repeated memes.
Q: Dairy farmers feed their cattle hormones and antibiotics to increase lactation. Will this leave residues in the milk?
A: Taiwan has long banned the administration of hormones to dairy cattle, and the use of antibiotics is subject to tight restrictions. And treating cattle with estrogen or other contraceptives is absolutely out of the question, because dairy cows don’t reach peak lactation until after they’ve birthed a calf.
After purchasing raw milk from different farms, a dairy operation will conduct careful tests to make sure its milk is safe, so the possibility of milk containing residues is just about nil.
Those inclined to test things out could add lactic acid bacteria to some store-bought milk to make yogurt; if there are any antibiotics in the milk, the bacteria will be unable to survive or to trigger the fermentation needed to produce yogurt.
Q: Is it true that fresh milk is better than shelf-stable milk, and that the longer the milk’s shelf life, the more likely it is to contain preservatives?
A: Fresh milk and shelf-stable milk are both made from 100% pure raw milk, but shelf-stable milk undergoes ultra-high temperature (UHT) pasteurization at 130–140°C, which kills all bacteria and spores in the raw milk. It is then sealed bacteria-free in its container, which is why it can be stored for a half year or longer at room temperature. Preservatives have nothing to do with it.
Lactose caramelizes at high temperatures, so shelf-stable milk is darker than fresh milk, and the flavor is different, but the basic nutritional ingredients are not much different.
Q: Are people with lactose intolerance unable to drink dairy products?
A: Lactose intolerance is due to a lack of the enzyme lactase, which breaks down lactose. This is why people with this condition suffer from abdominal bloating, diarrhea, and other symptoms when they drink milk. But not many people have no lactase at all; most are simply lactase deficient, and can spur their bodies to gradually increase lactase secretion by ingesting small amounts of dairy products each day. One can also slow down the intake of lactose by eating non-dairy solids while drinking milk.
In addition, fermentation during the making of yogurt breaks down most lactose, so yogurt is a good dairy substitute for people with lactose intolerance.
Q: Can drinking milk cause allergies?
A: People can develop allergies to a lot of foods, including seafood, eggs, and milk, to name a few.
However, surveys have shown that true allergies to milk are rare. They affect mostly children aged two or younger. Beyond the age of two, allergies to milk tend to gradually lessen in severity.
To find out whether you have an allergy to milk, you have to be diagnosed by a medical professional. Otherwise, simply giving up milk may not put an end to the allergy symptoms. In fact, you might simply be foregoing the excellent nutrition that milk provides.
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