003: The Dairy Lobby’s Lies – The Great Milk Myth

We’ve been told our whole lives that milk is essential for strong bones and that we need 3 servings of dairy a day for good health. Well, today, we’re calling bullshit on Big Dairy. The dairy industry has spent billions to convince us that we need milk, even though the majority of the world is lactose intolerant and science has repeatedly debunked the “strong bones” myth. In this episode, we’re exposing how the dairy lobby hijacked U.S. nutrition policy, the real science behind dairy and bone health, and why you don’t actually need cow’s milk to be healthy.

Key Topics Covered in This Episode:

✅ The “Got Milk?” campaign and how government-funded marketing pushed dairy into every household.
✅ How the USDA and Big Dairy worked together to keep milk in school lunch programs and dietary guidelines.
✅ The truth about lactose intolerance – over 65% of humans struggle to digest milk.
✅ The bone health myth – why milk is not the key to preventing osteoporosis.
✅ The alternative sources of calcium that are just as effective (or better) than dairy.
✅ The environmental and ethical concerns surrounding dairy production.
✅ Why Big Dairy is panicking as plant-based milk sales skyrocket.

Sources & Citations:

1. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (2018). Milk and Health: What the Science Says.

   • Harvard’s assessment of milk’s role in nutrition, debunking myths around calcium and bone health.

2. BMJ (2014). Milk intake and risk of mortality and fractures in women and men: cohort studies.

   • Landmark Swedish study that found higher milk consumption was associated with MORE fractures, not fewer.

3. National Institute of Health (NIH) (2021). Global Lactose Intolerance Rates: A Review of Digestive Health.

   • Reports that 65% of adults worldwide are lactose intolerant, with rates exceeding 90% in East Asia.

4. USDA Checkoff Program Report (2020).

   • Details how dairy farmers’ money is pooled to fund massive milk advertising campaigns with government backing.

5. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2019). Calcium Intake and Fracture Risk: A Comprehensive Meta-Analysis.

   • Found no strong evidence that high dairy intake reduces fracture risk.

6. PETA Report on USDA Dairy Lobbying (2020).

   • Investigation into how dairy lobbying influences school lunch programs and national nutrition policies.

7. Journal of Nutrition (2021). Comparing Dairy and Plant-Based Calcium Absorption in Human Diets.

   • Found that calcium from leafy greens, tofu, and fortified plant milks is absorbed just as well (if not better) than dairy-based calcium.

Want to Learn More?

📌 Harvard’s Milk & Bone Health Report: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/milk/
📌 USDA Dairy Industry Reports: https://www.usda.gov/topics/food-and-nutrition
📌 Lactose Intolerance Research: https://www.niddk.nih.gov/

💬 Were you raised to believe milk was essential? Have you ditched dairy, or do you still enjoy it? Hit me up on Instagram (@kristinabraly) and let me know what you think!

📢 Spread the truth! Share this episode with someone who still thinks they need milk to be healthy. And if you’re enjoying the show, leave a review on Apple Podcasts – it helps a lot!