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What does milk being a "growth factor for kids" mean? That statement needs to be backed up with some clarity and data. The majority of the Earth's population i

What does milk being a "growth factor for kids" mean? That statement needs to be backed up with some clarity and data. The majority of the Earth's population is intolerant to lactose, a component in cow's milk, so it's patently false that milk is some fundamental and crucial part of the human diet.

watwut 3y ago
In the geographic area where I live, milk (cow, sheep, goat) was indeed one of the most important food items. And milk intolerance was and still is rare. The milk always also seen as the thing to give to kids so they grow. And milk was actually practical option, cause you don't have to store it, you don't kill the animal for it, is less work to grow then plants, has tons of calories in a place where getting enough calories is not easy.
waihtis 3y ago
For example: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306919223000830 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S030691922... > ...increases in milk consumption over time are associated with large reductions in child stunting even after controlling for important confounding factors. Countries with high rates of stunting should therefore consider nutrition-sensitive strategies to increase dairy consumption among young children... given how lost a significant populace in even the western world are in regards to nutrition it can surely be considered appropriate here too.
naasking 3y ago
> The majority of the Earth's population is intolerant to lactose I don't believe this is true of infants, people tend to develop lactose intolerance as they mature. Milk is an exceptionally good source of all kinds of vitamins, minerals, fats and even protein. Seems crazy, but studies have found that you absorb milk faster than water when dehydrated.
soudiere 3y ago
Your reasoning is erroneous. "Humans do not produce lactase, ergo it's false milk is fundamental/crucial". Humans do not produce the enzymes to digest some dietary fiber, ergo it's not fundamental/crucial. The last sentence is false. Consuming an excessive amount of any type of oligo or polysaccharide will result in basically a laxative effect, GI discomfort etc. You've got a few options, consume exogenous enzymes (lactaid pills), avoidance, or colonize your GI tract with bacteria that do produce lactase, and feed them a small amount every day (start at 1 gram of milk in your coffee, add 1 gram each day)

watwut 3y ago

In the geographic area where I live, milk (cow, sheep, goat) was indeed one of the most important food items. And milk intolerance was and still is rare. The milk always also seen as the thing to give to kids so they grow. And milk was actually practical option, cause you don't have to store it, you don't kill the animal for it, is less work to grow then plants, has tons of calories in a place where getting enough calories is not easy.

waihtis 3y ago

For example: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306919223000830 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S030691922... > ...increases in milk consumption over time are associated with large reductions in child stunting even after controlling for important confounding factors. Countries with high rates of stunting should therefore consider nutrition-sensitive strategies to increase dairy consumption among young children... given how lost a significant populace in even the western world are in regards to nutrition it can surely be considered appropriate here too.

naasking 3y ago

> The majority of the Earth's population is intolerant to lactose I don't believe this is true of infants, people tend to develop lactose intolerance as they mature. Milk is an exceptionally good source of all kinds of vitamins, minerals, fats and even protein. Seems crazy, but studies have found that you absorb milk faster than water when dehydrated.

soudiere 3y ago

Your reasoning is erroneous. "Humans do not produce lactase, ergo it's false milk is fundamental/crucial". Humans do not produce the enzymes to digest some dietary fiber, ergo it's not fundamental/crucial. The last sentence is false. Consuming an excessive amount of any type of oligo or polysaccharide will result in basically a laxative effect, GI discomfort etc. You've got a few options, consume exogenous enzymes (lactaid pills), avoidance, or colonize your GI tract with bacteria that do produce lactase, and feed them a small amount every day (start at 1 gram of milk in your coffee, add 1 gram each day)