Out Milking Milk

It's cheap and readily available that's good enough for us. OK it does give us gas and it's better with chocolate than with out but other than that it's good enough for us. OK it really tears up our stomach but we like it best frozen even though we're sick of the snow and cold weather. Overall milk is OK with us. If it didn't make us so sick we'd probably drink more of it than we do. For most of us if it's not in cereal or ice cream we can leave it alone.

"Low-fat chocolate milk is the original protein drink. It contains a mix of carbohydrates and protein to refuel and repair muscles, fluids to rehydrate and electrolytes including calcium, potassium and magnesium, to replenish what is lost in sweat. It has the added bonus of bone-building nutrients, like calcium, (not found in traditional sports drinks) to help maintain strong bones and prevent stress fractures. In addition to getting the right combination of carbohydrates and protein, research suggests low-fat chocolate milk is a naturally nutrient-rich protein drink that can help you refuel and rehydrate within the critical two-hour recovery window after exercise." - Shamrock Farms

What Shamrock Farms does not say is what and where is that research. They mention all of the benefits without any way of verifying their claims. Here is what we found. University of Auckland (2006, March 2). Chocolate Milk Could Be Key To Longer, Healthier Life. Science Daily "(A) group of elderly kiwis to perform two identical sessions of aerobic exercise on a stationary bike."

From Indiana University, March 2006, we found:

"A drink like chocolate milk is most useful to a cyclist, swimmer, or long-distance runner. These sports stress high endurance levels and constant, sustained movement. Competing athletes need high levels of calories, carbs, and protein to sustain that level of performance." - Fitness Magazine

In all things chocolate milk related its seems Indiana University (IU) is the place to go for info where an April 2008 article compares chocolate milk to sports drink with chocolate exceed both for cyclists. Until November 2009 when Barcelona Spain published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (AJCN)  their research on skim milk and cocoa which concluded: "These results suggest that the intake of cocoa polyphenols may modulate inflammatory mediators in patients at high risk of cardiovascular disease. These antiinflammatory effects may contribute to the overall benefits of cocoa consumption against atherosclerosis." In all the tests, the subjects groups are small. With Spain the number of participants was forty-seven (47).

"Best sources of Calcium and Vitamin D - Breastfeeding is the best way to meet your baby's calcium needs. Infant formula provides calcium for babies who cannot be breastfed. Dairy foods are very high in calcium, especially milk, yogurt and cheese. Other good sources include calcium-enriched orange juice, rice beverages, and soy beverages." - Health Canada (June 2007)

The National Institute of Health (NIH) began a conference on lactose intolerance: "To provide health care providers, patients, and the general public with a responsible assessment of currently available data on latose intolerance and health." Concluding that: "its true prevalence is not known. The majority of people with lactose malabsorption do not have clinical lactose intolerance. Many individuals who think they are lactose intolerant are not lactose malabsorbers. Many individuals with real or perceived lactose intolerance avoid dairy and ingest inadequate amounts of calcium and vitamin D, which may predispose them to decreased bone accrual, osteoporosis, and other adverse health outcomes. In most cases, individuals do not need to eliminate dairy consumption completely."

"Calcium and Milk: What's Best for Your Bones and Health - On the other side are those who believe that consuming a lot of milk and other dairy products will have little effect on the rate of fractures but may contribute to problems such as heart disease or prostate cancer." - Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH)

While milk is the easiest and cheapest alternative to calcium we love that there is at least according to some seventy thousand (69,532) French women that coffee can protect you from diabetes if you don't have diabetes with or without milk if drank at lunchtime. At least that's what Reuters says but the free abstract (from AJCN) isn't so clear. But we're coffee drinkers so we'll take their word for it.

"Calcium is important. But milk isn’t the only, or even best, source - (D)airy products can be high in saturated fat as well as retinol (vitamin A), which at high levels can paradoxically weaken bones. Good, non-dairy sources of calcium include collards, bok choy, fortified soy milk, baked beans, and supplements. - Best Bones Forever (BBF.gov)"

Here are some final things we didn't know that maybe you did know about the Dairy Industry. Dairy Farm Milk Myths or what we call the Nine (9) Lies About Milk. Ignore the punctuation and just watch the videos and read the text you'll be able to figure out what they're trying to say. Until we find information to the contrary we'll give the dairy farmers the benefit of the doubt. Hey we're suckers for all things country. It just all seems so American.

Soy doesn't give us gas and chocolate soy doesn't it. It could be that we imagine that we're lactose intolerant from milk but we don't imagine the gas. We might be imagining the stomach cramps. Those could be psychosomatic we will admit to that.

"It is important for all individuals who suffer discomfort from the inability to digest lactose be given information about all sources of calcium, dairy and non-dairy, available to them, so individuals can develop a plan that meets not only their requirements for calcium, vitamin D, vitamin A, potassium, and magnesium, but also their cultural, religious, and ethical preferences without exceeding calorie, sugar, and saturated fat," highlighted Nancy Chapman, RD, MPH, Executive Director of the Soyfoods Association of North America."

Soy is still not as cheap as skim chocolate milk but cheap food can't make up for the cramps and gas. The choice is too go with the cheap and easy or to spend the extra bucks for the just as good. However you get your calcium make sure you get enough calcium to stay healthy enough to stay healthy. You can always go cheap but if you can afford it go for the gold who knows it might all be in your head. You might be able to eat the affordable without any ill effects.