In America, we are bombarded by advertisements with the famous slogan, “Got Milk?” They usually feature a trending athlete or popular figure with a milk mustache, and they never advertise any particular brand of milk, rather milk consumption in general. However, it is interesting to note that the ads have not been particularly successful, as milk consumption has actually fallen every year since the advertisements were introduced.

There has been some controversy surrounding milk and its supposed health benefits over the past few years. Several studies have shown that drinking milk may actually not be as healthy as most are led to believe. Milk has a high caloric and saturated fat content, which can lead to dietary issues. Some people believe that milk can help prevent bone fractures, but many countries where little to no milk is consumed have very low rates of fractures. There is also data that shows that prostate cancer could be linked to high levels of milk consumption.

Perhaps the most interesting point in the debate over whether milk is healthy or not is that it may not be a good source of calcium. I found this particularly interesting, because I had always associated milk with calcium and vice versa. Several studies have hypothesized that milk increases the acidic levels in the body. In order to compensate for this, the body will pull calcium from the bones, and therefore reduce overall calcium levels.

Should people reduce their milk consumption levels? While milk may or may not be a good source of calcium, it has other dietary consequences, such as calories and saturated fat. It also is not a good option for the 3/4 of the world that is lactose intolerant. There are better options for calcium, such as kale or salmon. With so much evidence showing that milk is not as great as the commercials would have us believe, people should start using alternate sources for calcium.