New Delhi: A glass of milk is what parents recommend for children to strengthen teeth and bones. Milk has been more than just a drink, it is the source of butter, paneer, ghee, and several types of cheese – while some of these are healthy, others can be harmful as well. But on the nutrition front, the calcium, protein, vitamin D, and healthy fats in milk make this drink a win-win for health. Yet, a study is now making headlines for accusing this drink of being unhealthy – turns out, it can increase the risk of a heart attack. And to make matters worse, even skimmed milk can contribute to the risk.
How does milk affect heart health?
Scientists have found that cow’s milk has the highest lactose content – lactose is a naturally-occurring sugar in milk which many people are intolerant to, a condition known as lactose intolerance. According to experts, this lactose triggers inflammation in the body causing cells to age and get damaged faster. This takes a toll on the heart and raises the risk of suffering from a heart attack. However, this risk is only seen in women. Furthermore, men do not appear to suffer from the same because of their ability to digest sugar better.
Researchers at Uppsala University in Sweden sourced data from 101000 people for the study and found that drinking 400ml of milk every day was associated with a 5% higher risk of dying due to coronary heart disease. This is one of the most common causes of death.
Why are women prone to heart attacks due to drinking milk?
In the study, women who drank more milk had their heart disease risk increased by 12% for 600ml in a day and 21% for 800ml. According to researchers, simply swapping milk with yogurt would be relatively healthier. Since yogurt is a source of probiotics, it improves gut bacteria balance and aids digestion. Gut health is also directly associated with better heart health. Writing about it in the BMC Medicine journal, a healthy diet is key to the prevention of heart disease. The analysis also supports a link between drinking 300ml of milk per day and higher rates of heart disease and heart attack in women, but not in men.
A higher risk of the same is evident in women irrespective of fat levels in milk. Replacing non-fermented milk with fermented milk could mitigate risks – such as sour cream, yogurt, and buttermilk.
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