By JASMINE ROSALES

Growing up, adults encourage kids to drink milk for calcium and with the promise it will strengthen bones. Many children never really questioned it. Now, let’s put it to the test and really look into the benefits of milk and what it does. Does milk really help keep bones strong? Or is it not as beneficial as it has been told? 

Pouring a cold glass of milk to drink (JASMINE ROSALES/ Ethic News Photo

Milk is a component used for countless recipes. It is used daily, varying from baking to cooking and so much more. It is an item consumed by many lives. But, what more do people benefit from milk other than potassium? On Lifehack.org, the article “10 Benefits of Milk That You Never Knew Even When You Drink It Every Day“ provides information on how researchers prove that milk is packed with important nutrients like calcium, phosphorus, B vitamins, potassium and vitamin D. On top of gaining many vitamins, milk is proven to also help prevent osteoporosis and helps keep a healthy weight.

 Mackenzie Cordova, a sophomore at Citrus Valley High School, states, “Well, I don’t have brittle bones and it helped me grow the little height that I could grow.”

Though milk provides various benefits, alternatives are made to make milk accessible to everyone with no issue.

Finding alternatives nowadays is much easier than before because lactose intolerance has become more common through genetics as the population increases, creating substitutions in ingredients to make milk safe to drink for everyone. 

Starting from the inside of the body, lactose intolerance happens when the small intestine doesn’t make enough of a digestive enzyme called lactase.  

To make lactose-free milk, lactase is added into the milk itself to break down. Lactase enzymes break down the milk’s lactose before it enters your body. This enzyme is used to break down lactose into two simple sugars, glucose and galactose;  naturally tastebuds perceive these enzymes sweeter than complex sugars. This makes up for the lack of lactose in milk.

Now, if you have heard the saying that too much of a good thing is bad for you, it’s true. 

To prevent any issue, it is recommended from pediatricians/doctors that people over the age of nine should drink 3 cups of milk a day. If someone drinks too much, they can become nauseated, bloated, have digestive issues, and possibly cause acne. 

Considering long term effects, milk does not have any untreatable side effects. This information can be supported by local doctors and given treatments to help cure side effects. The most problematic thing that can happen is drinking too much milk or dairy products to the point where it can develop diseases such as salmonella, E. coli, Listeria, Campylobacter, etc. 

Milk has been proven to be a popular component in everyday use. There are various thoughts considering what they think of milk, considering the options of what to eat milk with is a pretty big variety to choose from. 

Makenna Clark, a sophomore at Citrus Valley, believes milk should be “accompanied by cereal or a cookie, maybe something chocolatey but never alone.” 

Highly suggested to maintain healthy bones and vitamins, it’s an amazing choice.