Growth Chart
Growth Chart
Safeway, Starbucks, and Chipotle Mexican Grill have all cut back on dairy products that contain rBGH. And when you find out the details about this strange stuff, you might have a strong desire to cut back on it too.
A little latte
Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH) is a genetically engineered hormone injected into dairy cows to artificially increase milk production.
Do I need to go any further? Are you already NOT a big fan?
Representatives for Starbucks created a stir earlier this year when they announced that many of their outlets in New England and several western states would significantly cut back on the use of milk products from dairies that inject cows with rBGH. Starbucks is one of the largest milk buyers in the U.S., and needless to say, millions of Starbucks lattes and cappuccinos are consumed daily.
So? You knock back a little rBGH milk now and then. What’s the harm?
Potentially plenty, according to Samuel S. Epstein, M.D. In his recently published book, titled “What’s In Your Milk?” Dr. Epstein notes that rBGH contains high levels of natural growth factor (IGF-1), which your digestive system easily absorbs. The problem: High levels of IGF-1 have been linked to colon, breast, and prostate cancers.
And while that may be the worst that rBGH can do, it’s certainly not the only danger linked to this false hormone.
Speaking double
RBGH is manufactured by the biotech giant Monsanto – the corporate powerhouse behind the science of genetic modification. Monsanto markets rBGH under the name Posilac, which was approved by the FDA in 1993. As many as three million cows are treated with Posilac – that’s about one-third of all dairy cows in the U.S.
On Monsanto’s Posilac web site, this statement appears: “Studies show dairy herds supplemented with POSILAC remain as healthy as non-supplemented herds and show no increase in mastitis cases.” (Mastitis is a bacterial infection of the udder.) And this statement also appears: “Cows supplemented with Posilac may be at an increased risk for clinical mastitis.”
You can decide for yourself what to make of that double speak.
Meanwhile, here’s the chain of events set in motion when mastitis is diagnosed:
Mastitis is treated with antibiotics
Traces of antibiotics end up in the milk (In one study, conducted by the Center for Science in the Public Interest, more than 35 percent of grocery store milk contained antibiotic residues)
Overuse of human antibiotics, combined with exposure to animal antibiotics in our food supply, have produced bacteria that are resistant to some of the most powerful antibiotics
Make mine raw
If you enjoy dairy products, there’s a fairly simple way to avoid consuming traces of rBGH and antibiotics: buy organic.
More and more these days we’re seeing organic products on grocery shelves, and if you choose organic dairy you’ll probably avoid growth hormones and antibiotics. I say “probably” because the requirements to qualify as organic are not exactly stringent, so in addition to a “certified organic” label, look for an assurance on the label that the product comes from animals that have not been given antibiotics or hormones.
To go a healthy step beyond organic, you might try raw, unpasteurized, and unhomogenized milk products. They’re hard to find (they’re outlawed in some states), and you still won’t have a 100 percent guarantee that they’re free of antibiotics and rBGH, but it’s the best assurance you’ll get, unless you happen to keep a couple of cows in your backyard.
You can read more about the benefits of raw milk in the e-Alert “The Milkman Cometh” (12/22/04), which you can find at this link: http://www.hsionline.com/ealerts/ea200412/ea20041222.html
