3 Shocking Things That Could Be Floating in Your Milk
Most recently, a study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that drinking milk could expose your body to chemicals you never bargained for. Conducted by a team of Spanish and Moroccan researchers at the University of Jaen, the study discovered that there could be up to 20 painkillers, antibiotics and growth hormones in a single glass of milk.
Surprisingly, the study wasn’t meant to point out a horrifying lack of quality control in our milk supply. Rather, it was designed to test a new technology that combines continuous solid-phase extraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for the detection of contaminants in any product. Unfortunately for the dairy industry, it worked all too well.
“The scientists analyzed 20 samples of milk—cow’s, goat’s, and human—bought in Spain and Morocco, and found a chemical cocktail of ingredients added to the animal’s diet prior to milking or contamination through feed or on the farm,” reports Truth Theory. Some of the contaminants found in trace amounts include triclosan (an anti-fungal), 17-beta-estradiol (a sex hormone), and florfenicol (an antibiotic).”
While trace amounts of the chemicals were found in all milk samples tested, cow’s milk was the most contaminated by far. This should be expected, however, as dairy cows are routinely given antibiotics, growth hormones and fed questionable GMO-ridden feed. If you buy cheap milk from conventional supermarkets or “food” warehouses like Wal-Mart, you are most certainly passing these toxic ingredients on to yourself and your family.
Although the researchers claim that the chemicals occur in amounts too low to be of concern for humans, it’s probably not a good idea to take their word for it.
If you’d like to continue to consume milk but would rather not have it infused with painkillers, antibiotics, and growth hormones, here are some tips:
1. Choose unpasturized, grassfed raw milk from a trusted, local farm.
2. Choose organic milk from a trusted brand. By law, certified organic milk must be free of antibiotics, growth hormones and GMOs.
3. Choose non-dairy milk. Nearly every soy-bean in the world is genetically modified, so soy milk is out, but alternatives like almond and hemp milk are usually safe, especially if you make it yourself.
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