By Stephanie Foo
Student Life Editor
For years, parents have nagged and encouraged their children to drink more milk for more strength in their bones and calcium in their bodies. However, it seems as if this childhood tale has proven to be a tall tale filled with misconceptions and overstatements about the true benefits of the drink. While milk does offer benefits, it should be carefully consumed in moderation to maintain a good balance of nutrients. Contrary to myths surrounding health benefits, an over consumption of milk can prove detrimental.

A 2012 study by the Yale University School of Medicine discovered that people who consume milk daily double their risk of death, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. Along with such risks, women who constantly drinks milk have a 60 percent increased risk of hip fracture, according to Professor Karl Michaëlsson, lead author of a 2014 Swedish study on milk. An article published by Harvard University’s School of Public Health also found that “high intakes of [milk, a product rich in calcium,] can increase the risk of prostate cancer and possibly ovarian cancer [in people].” In moderation, the advantages of milk hold true, but what goes inside the product warrants skepticism. Filled with added sugars and additives from the packing process, milk is not as healthy and balanced as one would think. Peta.org reported that a single serving of whole milk has more than 20 percent of the recommended daily allowance of saturated fat along with 24 milliliters of cholesterol. From childhood to adulthood, milk maintains a clean reputation as an allhealthy, all-good remedy. But the reality is that milk can prove deleterious to one’s health. From its disease risk to nutrient deficiency, excessive consumption of milk
can lead to various complications in children and adults alike. How much milk one should actually consume daily depends on one’s overall diet , explained Dr. David Ludwig, a Boston Children’s Hospital pediatrician to the Boston Globe. Thus, consumers must be educated about the true effects of drinking milk in all quantities. Reading labels, recognizing alternatives, and being aware of what one puts in their body are all proactive ways to squash the milk myth. While educating oneself about milk may seem like a simple task, it can go a long way in understanding what one puts in their body. Consumers must remain vigilant in matters of both health and safety. The milky truth about milk can be daunting, but with a few steps, our understanding of milk will become much clearer than the colloid itself.