Milk has been a staple of the diet of Old World temperate zone people since the agricultural revolution, approx 8000 BC. Milk is mentioned more than 20 times in the Hebrew scriptures (“…. a land flowing with milk and honey………..”) as a metaphor for abundance and wholesomeness.
Also, in one of the Islamic medicine tomes, we read: “Drink milk, for it wipes away heat from the heart, strengthens the back, increases the brain, augment the intelligence, renew vision and drives away forgetfulness”. Although they are not supported by contemporary standards those claim, nevertheless, illustrate the generally high esteem that milk has enjoyed throughout its history.
Milk is a thirst quenching nourishing beverage. For some segments of the populations milk became, and is still today, the principal source of almost all nutrients, with daily consumption of 5 – 7 L.
Nutritional science emerged only at the beginning of the 20th century and quickly recognized the value of milk in a balanced diet. Virtually all US government nutrition programs and nutritional policy statements for the last century have emphasized the importance of milk. As nutritional science grew, so also did the understanding of the composition of milk and of its many benefits.
However, during the past 30-40 years particularly, several factors have converged to alter perceptions of the role of milk in the human diet. These include:
- The emergence and promotion of alternative beverages (and the relative affluence that made their purchase possible),
- Medicine’s emphasis on treating nutrients as toxins (e.g., fat, sodium, cholesterol),
- Animal rights activism
- Still growing technophobia.
