"Milk varies in Alaska"

“Milk varies in Alaska”

I happened to notice that statement at the bottom of the screen during a McDonald’s commercial that promotes the restaurant’s new Happy Meal choices that are supposed to be healthier than the junk traditionally served in Happy Meals.

So what the heck is going on with milk in Alaska? And what exactly does “varies” mean? Is there no regulation of Alaskan milk? Does it turn blue in the bitter cold? Could it be (perish the thought!) raw, unpasteurized milk?

When I went to the McDonald’s web site, I found a Happy Meal page that elaborated: “The 1% milkfat content is not available in Alaska.”

See, the new “healthier” Happy Meals offer apple juice or 1% low fat milk instead of a variety of soft drinks. And of course we’re talking serious mainstream here, so “low fat” is automatically equated with “healthier.”

But this could actually be good news for Alaskan girls.

According to a new study that followed more than 18,000 subjects for eight years, risk of infertility increases among women who consume two or more servings of low fat dairy daily. The study also found that infertility risk drops when women consume one or more servings of high fat dairy daily.

So if the population of Alaska booms in coming years, the high fat Happy Meal milk might have something to do with it.