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The consumption of dairy milk has declined exponentially in the past few years with people opting for the supposed healthy alternatives-plant-based milks. The variants of cow or buffalo milk have been swapped with oat, almond, soy and other new kinds of milk. Now, the experts have sounded the cowbell to warn consumers of these milks against their side effects which include the diagnosis of colon cancer.
The truth about plant-based milks
People have been opting out of using dairy milk for ethical concerns such as its way of production, cases of animal abuse and because of their intolerance to dairy products. However, now experts have warned of certain ingredients in plant-based milk products that may be more damaging than the consumption of dairy.
A study presented at Nutrition 2023, the annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition, stated that about a third of plant-based milks have higher sugar levels than strawberry or chocolate milk. Additionally, the additives and emulsifiers present in these milks such as carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), gelatin, whey protein and xantham gum, which are added to improve their texture are known to disrupt gut bacteria and increase the risk of colon cancer. These emulsifiers can decrease the balance of the beneficial bacteria in the gut leading to low-grade inflammation which forms the birth ground of colon cancer. This inflammation can lead to the death of the protective cells in the colon lining, leading to the birth and growth of cancerous cells.
Dr. Maria Abreu, a professor of medicine, microbiology, and immunology at the University of Miami, made headlines when she stated that the enzymes in processed foods could cause gut bacteria to flare up, leading to inflammation and cancer. “Even the foods we think are good for us can be a problem,” Abreu told the New York Post. “Things like emulsifiers that are added in, things that are creamy, you know, the non-fat yogurts and all these things, really can change the gut microbiome very profoundly.”
These additives and emulsifiers that are added to ultra-processed food are partly the reason for the rising number of cases in colon cancer amongst young people. A shocking 20% of colorectal cancer cases in 2019 were discovered in people younger than 55, up from 11% in 1995. Alarmingly, this younger demographic gets diagnosed with the disease in the older age when it becomes difficult to cure and treat. In a study funded by NIH’s National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), and published in the cancer journal Cancer Research, researchers found that mice who had consumed food containing dietary emulsifiers were more prone to cancer than those who did not.
What are the alternatives?
A recent post shared on Instagram by Lavia Health & Nutrition detailed how the plant-based milks contain ingredients such as rapeseed oils linked to chronic diseases, dipotassium phosphate linked to kidney diseases and more. This is the case for most store-bought plant-based milks be it from any company. When thinking of alternatives, many people in the comments shared their thoughts about ‘DIY’ or ‘Home-made milks’. Nowadays, the healthy alternative for any kind of processed food is its production at home. There are multiple videos and food influencers just one click away to guide you through the process of making your own plant-based milks at home, which without the emulsifiers can be the truly healthy alternatives for dairy milks and can prevent you from facing the risks of diseases such as colon cancer.
