H for Health
An important prerequisite for you to be able to make free choices regarding your diet is that you can make informed decisions
Humans are unique among mammals in consuming milk from other species throughout their lives. A common perception is: “I drink milk to get calcium, so I get strong bones.” However, the reality is different: the countries where people have the highest intake of dairy products also have the highest incidence of osteoporosis and hip fractures.
The dairy industry is big business. The industry’s narrative about calcium and health has led to the belief in Western cultures that it is normal, natural, and necessary to consume dairy products throughout life, instead of getting calcium from the same source as cows do, namely from the plants they eat. To make dairy products tolerable in recommended daily amounts, the industry has adjusted the milk’s fat content, and to some degree its sugar content.
Dairy products, sourced from cows and other animals, have long been a staple in Western dietary patterns and guidelines. The recommendations have been well supported by the powerful lobby of the dairy industry, including research sponsored by the dairy industry with the purpose of promoting the use of dairy products. An example of the dairy industry’s lobbying is the school milk scheme in public schools in Denmark organized by the Danish Dairy Board. At the start of school, all children and their families receive a 160-page book: ‘The Parent Handbook, Healthy and Happy School Start.’ It is described as ‘a kind of guide to daily life as a school child family.’ This book is not published by the Danish Ministry of Education or the Danish Teachers’ Association, but by the Danish Dairy Board and represents well-organized, hidden advertising for dairy products.