Is drinking too much milk harmful for your body? | The Times of India (2024)

FAQs

Is drinking too much milk harmful for your body? | The Times of India? ›

Milk might be healthy and nutritious, but drinking too much of it in a day does not guarantee better health. Excessive intake of anything is harmful even if it is something as healthy as milk. As per a Swedish study, drinking too much milk in a day can be linked with mortality and increased risk of fracture.

Drinking too much milk can cause digestive issues such as bloating, cramps, and diarrhea. If your body is not able to break down lactose properly, it travels through the digestive system and is broken down by gut bacteria. Because of this reason, gassiness and other digestive issues can happen.

If you aren't lactose-intolerant or allergic to dairy, it's totally OK to enjoy a regular glass of milk each day. From improving bone health to helping mitigate cognitive decline, drinking milk and incorporating other dairy items into your diet can come with some health benefits.

Milk is a rich source of essential nutrients like calcium, vitamin D, and protein, and is considered to be good for bone. However, excessive milk consumption can have adverse effects on health.

Milk consumption is recommended by many nutritional guidelines for meeting daily requirements for calcium, animal proteins and vitamin B12 intake. In the United-States, the national dietary guidelines recommend that adults should drink three cups or 732 mL/d of milk [1].

Lactase breaks down lactose, which is a sugar in milk. Sometimes, this can be a temporary problem — for example, due to an infection. For those with lactose intolerance, consuming milk can cause bloating, flatulence, or diarrhea. However, levels of lactose intolerance vary from person to person.

Milk provides a good source of vitamin D and calcium, which older adults tend to need more of. These two nutrients help to maintain bone strength, preserve muscle strength, and prevent osteoporosis, all of which are common problems that can arise as we age. For some seniors, milk means more than nutrition.

As milk, yoghurt and cheese are considered 'neutral' for heart health, these foods can form part of a heart-healthy diet. However, you can also have a heart-healthy diet without them. Research doesn't indicate a minimum or maximum portion size or amount of servings.

Milk has 18 of 22 essential nutrients, making it a nutritional rock star and a simple and efficient way to get a long list of vitamins and minerals. It's especially rich in calcium and protein, which are critical elements of a healthy diet.

Milk plays a part in Ayurveda, a form of alternative medicine practised in India. Ayurveda recommends daily consumption of milk because of its good digestive and sedative properties.

When should we avoid milk? ›

People with lactose intolerance or a dairy allergy should avoid milk. Lactose intolerance is an inability to digest the main sugar in milk. This condition results in gas, bloating, and diarrhea ( 12 ). Additionally, people with diabetes or poor blood sugar control may want to limit their milk intake.

Overview. People with lactose intolerance are unable to fully digest the sugar (lactose) in milk. As a result, they have diarrhea, gas and bloating after eating or drinking dairy products. The condition, which is also called lactose malabsorption, is usually harmless, but its symptoms can be uncomfortable.

Dairy milks typically have the most nutritional value. Among the plant options, soy milk comes closest to the nutritional profile of cow's and goat's milks. Many plant-based milks are lower in saturated fat and calories than cow's milk.

The amount of dairy foods children need each day depends on their age and can vary between 1 2/3 to 2 cups for toddlers under 2, 2 to 2 ½ cups for children ages 2-8, and 3 cups for children and adolescents 9-18. Find the right amount for you by getting your MyPlate Plan.

Cow's milk contains two types of protein: whey and casein, the latter of which is what gives cow's milk its white color. Some studies have found that casein sometimes binds to iron molecules in the body, which slows down iron absorption and could lead to iron deficiency anemia.

Medical explanation. The primary difficulty in completing the challenge lies in the limited capacity of the stomach. Generally, the stomach can hold only half a gallon ( 1.9 L). Stretch receptors in the organ sense when its limit is reached, triggering a vomit reflex.

Cow's milk leans towards being acidic. Consuming it first thing when your stomach is empty might exacerbate the acidity levels in your gut, possibly leading to conditions like acid reflux, heartburn, and other uncomfortable digestive problems.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) recommends drinking one to two glasses of milk daily. For the six billion people around the world who regularly consume milk, that adds up to 2.4 billion liters every day – or the capacity of 960 Olympic swimming pools.