Separate myth from fact to Vote Dairy in June

What’s to believe these days? Marketing slogans fly off the store shelves, making claims that can be misleading or even untrue. When you Vote Dairy this summer, try to keep these myths and facts in mind:

Myth: Flavored milk isn’t good for children due to sugar content.
Fact: Flavored milk delivers the same nutrients as regular milk. Seventy percent of girls and 60 percent of boys (ages 6-11) do not meet the recommended daily amount of calcium. According to the 2005 Dietary Guidelines, small amounts of sugars added to nutrient-dense foods, such as reduced-fat milk products, may enhance the palatability of these products, thus improving nutrient intake without contributing excessive calories.

Myth: Organic milk is healthier than regular milk.
Fact: There is no conclusive scientific evidence that organic food, including milk, is superior with regard to food safety or nutrition. Organic and regular milk contain the same nine essential nutrients that make dairy products an important part of a healthy diet.

Myth: Hormones in milk cause early puberty in girls.
Fact: According to government and pediatric health experts, there is no scientific evidence to support the notion that rBGH, a hormone supplement some farmers administer to cows, affects human growth and development. Hormones are present naturally in all milk. While some dairy farmers use a supplemental hormone for their cows, the safety of this use has been affirmed by leading national and international health and agricultural organizations over the past 15 years.

Myth: All milk – except organic milk – contains antibiotics.
Fact: All milk is carefully tested for antibiotics. Any milk that tests positive is disposed of immediately, and does not enter into the food supply.

Myth: The reason the price of milk is going up in the grocery store is so dairy farmers can get rich.
Fact: On average, dairy farmers receive 30 cents of every retail dollar. Today’s recent price increases for dairy, and all foods, beverages and other goods, are tied to dramatic increases in energy/fuel, distribution, transportation, feed, and other supply costs. These on-farm price increases have left slim margins for dairy farmers in recent years

Myth: Large, “corporate farms” force small, family farms out of business.
Fact: There are more than 60,000 dairy farms in America and the average herd size is 135 cows. According to USDA, the majority (77 percent) of all U.S. dairy farms have less than 100 cows. Families own 99 percent of the nation’s dairy farms.

Myth: Pesticides are overused and end up in milk.
Fact: Pesticides are not a health concern in any milk products. Thorough testing and stringent government standards ensure that all milk is safe, pure and nutritious. Dairy farmers consistently meet or exceed safety regulations on pesticide use.

Myth: I am lactose intolerant. I can’t eat dairy products.
Fact: Most people who are lactose intolerant can eat some dairy products, such as lactose-reduced or lactose-free milk, hard cheeses and yogurt. New research finds most people who are lactose intolerant can even drink up to two glasses of regular milk a day with no symptoms. The key is to build slowly. Milk and milk products provide many important nutrients for good health. They’re especially rich in calcium—the bone-building mineral that comes up short in the diets of most Americans, particularly women. The U.S. Department of Agriculture finds nine out of 10 women and seven out of 10 men don’t get enough calcium every day.

Myth: Soy milk is a healthful substitute for cow’s milk.
Fact: A recent study from Creighton University in Omaha found the calcium put into soy beverage is 25 percent less absorbable by the body than the naturally occurring calcium in regular milk. While soy is healthful, your best source for bone-building calcium continues to be cow’s milk. All you need are three servings of dairy foods every day to help meet your calcium needs much more easily and cheaply than soy beverage.