|
Back Issues |
|
Farm & Garden
Farm News & Views: A Victory in the Milk Wars? In the October 2000 on-line edition of "Dairy Checkoff Update," Dairy Management, Inc. celebrated a recent article by Jane Brody with the headline: Leading New York Times Health Reporter Helps Debunk Anti-Milk Myths. Evidently, after years of articles that have cautioned against the dangers of milk consumption, Brody used a producer-funded National Dairy Council® [NDC] study, which outlined some of the myths regarding milk, "including its role in relationship to heart disease, cancer and diabetes." Dairy Checkoff Update also noted that the study, and therefore the Brody article, "provided scientific evidence that firmly reinforced milk’s position as the beverage for good health." We decided to take a closer look at the Brody piece, entitled "Debate Over Milk: Time to Look at Facts," originally published in The Times on Tuesday, September 26, 2000. Here's what we found: Brody began her piece by citing the two major camps in the milk wars -- the NDC and, she mistakenly reported, "the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, a nonprofit organization that promotes milk-free vegetarian diets and in 1992 denounced the feeding of cows' milk to children." The Checkoff article repeated this error. In fact, the anti-milk study was produced by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, "not by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine," as the NYT acknowledged in its correction two days later. More importantly, though, Brody's article, under a sub-heading that read "Health Facts About Milk," set straight some of the common mistakes. "Here," Brody wrote, "is what has been said and what is actually known about milk's relationship to health." She then went on to site the specific health issues. Heart Disease: With regard to heart disease, Brody acknowledged that the consumption of "large amounts in their whole-fat state" could increase cholesterol. However, she also noted the abundance of low-fat and nonfat dairy options, and concluded that "there is no reason not to switch to these heart-saving low-fat alternatives, especially since certain substances in milk may help to lower cholesterol." [italics added] Cancer: With regard to cancer, the evidence has been conflicting, with most studies focusing on ovarian cancer. But, as Brody notes, "the most carefully done study to date found that women who developed ovarian cancer actually drank less milk than those who remained free of this cancer." She then went on to reiterate the potential cancer dangers of full-fat dairy products, but also acknowledged that "low-fat and fat-free dairy products can [actually] reduce the risk of cancers of the breast, lungs and colon." Diabetes: With regard to diabetes, Brody noted that the risk, "if there is a real one ... seems to be related to the consumption of unmodified cows' milk in infancy by susceptible people." On this score, she therefore follows the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics, which recommends that infants in their first year not be given unmodified cows' milk or products like ice cream or yogurt made from unmodified cows' milk. Osteoporosis: Here, after acknowledging the lower incidence of osteoporosis on Asian countries, whose diets contain little or no dairy, Brody noted that the Asian diet also contains "more calcium-rich vegetables and a lot less protein." The latter, Brody said, "actually removes calcium from the body." She also identified both lack of exercise and consumption of cola as two factors that "can impede the use of calcium." Of course, as everyone knows, milk and other dairy products are by the leading sources of calcium and vitamin D in the American diets. Thus, as Brody suggests, "Although milk contains protein, the ratio of calcium to protein in milk is high enough to favor bone development, not the bone loss suggested by the Physicians Committee [sic]." In addition to the ailments already discussed, Brody also addressed the myths and facts about mucous and digestive problems associated with milk consumption. According to Jean Ragalie, DMI executive vice president of public and industry relations, "The impact of The New York Times article cannot be overstated." Why? Because, according to Ragalie, "Brody and The New York Times often set the agenda for news coverage across the country." "Why Drink Milk?" asks Brody at the end of her piece.
If Ragalie's prediction is right, Brody's article could mark the beginning of something long overdue for the industry. ******* ******* If you would like to submit a feature for our Farm & Garden section, don't hesitate to let us know. Simply e-mail us at farmgarden@downstreetmagazine.com. The e-mail should contain your name, address, and a phone number where we can reach you. You may also send a copy of your proposed article. The text can either be included in the body of the e-mail, or you can send it as an attachment in just about any word processing format. If your piece is accepted, we will pay a small honorarium for your interest & your time. [See Freelancers Wanted for more details.] ******* ******* If you would like to advertise in this section, or throughout the magazine, please visit our Advertising Info Pages ... or call, write, or e-mail ads@downstreetmagazine.com. ******* *******.. |
|
*******
******* ******* ******* For more information, contact DownStreet Magazine by ...
Phone
(802) 453-5124 All
material copyrighted © 2000-2001. All rights
reserved. |
