By: Lifestyle Desk Posted by Lifestyle Desk | New Delhi |
June 17, 2021 2:30:51 p.m.
From Dr. V. Mohan and Dr. JB Prajapati
Milk is an almost complete food with a unique nutritional balance. Some people may have difficulty digesting milk sugar (lactose), but generally humans have developed the ability to digest lactose over the years, and therefore milk can be consumed for a lifetime. Lactose helps with brain development; Milk proteins are good for building muscle, and calcium is a must for bone strength, along with other health benefits.
However, recently there has been some debate about whether milk is unhealthy and a major cause of diabetes. But scientific evidence contradicts what they say. The fact is, milk is actually beneficial for diabetes. This can be seen from both cross-sectional and longitudinal data from India.
The first evidence that dairy products and milk could be protective comes from the Chennai Urban Rural Epidemiology Study (CURES), which showed that dairy products have protective effects against diabetes. Cross-sectional studies, however, cannot establish a cause-and-effect relationship and, instead we need longitudinal, long-term follow-up studies. The Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology (PURE) study, which was conducted in 21 countries on five continents with 150,000 people including five parts of India, showed that milk consumption was associated with fewer incidents of (emerging) diabetes and high blood pressure as a metabolic syndrome.
The first evidence that dairy products and milk could be protective came from the Chennai Urban Rural Epidemiology Study (CURES), which showed that dairy products have protective effects against diabetes. (Source: Thinkstock Images)
The view that cow’s milk is linked to type 1 diabetes is an old theory that has only been reported in a few Scandinavian countries. Later studies have disproved the theory. It is known that breast milk protects against various diseases. Breastfeeding is not popular in some western countries and the newborn is therefore exposed to cow’s milk early in life, especially in the first six months of life. As a result, their immunity may decline because they were not exclusively breast-fed and therefore may develop infections and low immunity. The problem is not the cow’s milk, but the lack of protection from the mother’s milk, as exclusive breastfeeding is recommended for the first six months after the birth.
With regard to type 2 diabetes, there is no evidence of a positive association with milk. The fact that India has the second largest number of people with diabetes in the world is actually because India also has the second largest population in the world. The first three countries with the most diabetics follow the populations of these countries. This makes China the largest number of people with diabetes, followed by India and then the United States. As India’s population grows, we will have more people with diabetes even if the percentage of diabetes remains the same. In addition, the increase is not due to milk consumption, but rather to the obesity epidemic that was developing at the same time. Even at a young age, children eat junk food and do not exercise enough. As a result, they gain weight, develop insulin resistance, and the bowel develops polycystic ovarian disease (PCOD). All of this is reversible when children are encouraged to exercise regularly and cut down on junk food.
Finally, excess carbohydrates in the form of polished white rice and refined wheat have been linked to diabetes in India in several of our and other studies. This, along with decreased physical activity, are the strongest risk factors for diabetes and can be prevented with the help of suitable educators.
Milk has many essential ingredients like calcium, riboflavin, phosphorus, vitamin D, pantothenic acid, potassium, vitamin A and niacin. Milk is a very good source of protein and thanks to the milk revolution in India, the growth and nutrition of children in India has improved significantly. Milk has been used since our Vedic times and is part of our cultural heritage. Lord Sri Krishna’s preference for butter is well known. In India, milk is also a livelihood for millions of the marginalized and landless. Cessation of milk consumption could lead to increased malnutrition in India, which already has the largest number of malnourished children in the world. Milk is also important for pregnant and breastfeeding women as it provides them with much-needed protein and calcium. We humbly advocate taking proper account of the scientific facts so that the public is not confused or misled.
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