Why I Want You to Move On from Milk

When I was a little girl, my grandmother had a glass of milk waiting for me every afternoon when I came home from school. Buttermilk and cornbread were staples in our house. And my children loved to start their day with a bowl of cereal and milk. 

Most of us grew up drinking milk and looking forward to strong bones and healthy teeth. But milk is not as healthy as we once thought it was. Yes, it's full of calcium. Unfortunately, it's also full of other things that may be making us sick.

What's Wrong with Milk?

Milk was good for us once upon a time. But today cows grow up a little differently than they did when my grandmother was alive. Each cow is milked around 300 days out of every year. And for most of those 300 days, those cows are pregnant. 

Why does that matter? Pregnant cows produce high levels of estrogen that then ends up in our milk -- and that excess estrogen is dangerous for people. A Harvard scientist conducted a groundbreaking study on the details in this publication. He points out that extra estrogen can lead to:

• Breast cancer in women
• Testicular cancer in men
• Weight gain

How to Replace Milk

Milk plays a big role in most of our diets. But with a little effort, its not hard to replace it. 

With Breakfast

• Skim Milk: Not ready to give up milk just yet? Skim milk has the least amount of estrogen and it's low in fat. 
• Vanilla Almond Milk: Almond milk tastes a lot like cows milk. And its delicious vanilla flavor makes it great in a glass with breakfast.
• Rice Milk: Rice milk is another delicious alternative to traditional milk. But it does have a high carbohydrate count which makes it a poor choice for anyone suffering from diabetes.

When Baking

• Coconut Milk: Coconut milk is great for baking because it adds a tasty touch of coconut to any meal. Try it in your favorite desserts. 
• Non-Dairy Milk: This milk substitute is just like what you'll find in non-dairy creamer. It will thicken and flavor your recipes without adding any extra flavor. 
• Oat Milk: Oat Milk is the perfect milk substitute in any recipe that contains pasta or grains. It has a creamy texture that is great in soups, casseroles and desserts. 

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I cut milk out of my diet roughly one year ago. And I'll be honest, it was tough -- but only for the first few weeks. Once I started working milk substitutes into my diet, I barely noticed the difference. My advice is to head to the health food store and try a few milk substitutes until you find one that you fall in love with. Put a little effort into this simple change and you'll go a long way toward making your kitchen a healthier place to eat.