Don’t be fooled by the fakes

Like and Share this story on Facebook

By Barb Lumley
Living in a rural county and area where farming has been a way of life for many years and there has been many outstanding dairy farms, I am currently seeing the number of dairy farmers dwindling down to a very few. There are many reasons for the loss of dairy farms, however two of the things that definitely have an effect on dairy farmers are the low prices paid for the milk they produce and the recent development of so many “fake milks”.
I recently received a copy of a local newspaper published in our small town. When I began to read it, imagine my surprise and disappointment to find a full-page ad for “oat milk”. I could not help but wonder if the people who are currently publishing this local newspaper know anything about oat milk or know how these “fake milks” have affected the livelihood of, not only local dairy farmers, but dairy farmers all over this country.
Oat milk is not “milk”, however dairy farmers cannot prevent the use of the word milk on the containers of the “fake milk”. The English and Oxford dictionaries define milk as an opaque white fluid rich in fat and protein, secreted by female mammals for the nourishment of their young. Merriam-Webster defines mammals as any class of vertebrates that nourish their young with milk secreted by mammary glands and having the skin more or less covered with hair, and include humans. (I have never seen an udder in the oat fields unless the cows got out!)
The following is a list of ingredients for oat milk: Oat base (that is water and 10% oats), rapeseed oil, calcium carbonate, calcium phosphates, iodized salt, vitamins (D12, riboflavin, B12). FREE from MILK PROTEIN, lactose and soy. It is oats and water! You can make your own oat milk by soaking whole oats in water, blending it in the blender and straining it!
Plant based milks are all made with water! They are made by grinding a seed, nut or bean, then adding water, flavors, vitamins, and minerals. The nutrients and amount of sugar in plant-based milk varies considerably based on how it has been produced and what has been added. Carrageenan is an additive derived from seaweed and is used as a stabilizer and thickener in plant bases beverages. It is also used in infant’s formula and in products recommended for seniors. It is believed that it can cause health problems
There is no doubt in my mind that many consumers of oat milk and other plant-based milk actually believe it is milk! The word “milk” on the container is definitely misleading. Many of the plant milk containers are colorful and eye-catching and the advertisements are done in the same way, drawing the attention of consumers.
Milk that comes from the dairy farmers’ cows is real and it is good for you. It contains protein, calcium, riboflavin and potassium. Lactaid free milk and A2A2 milk are available for consumers. They make it possible for people who have problems with regular milk to drink milk and use dairy products. The A2A2 milk comes from hand-picked cows that are DNA tested and only produce the A2 beta-casein protein. Don’t be fooled by the “fake milks.” Get Real Milk!

Leave a Comment

Sponsor

Recent Sports News

Follow Us

Sponsor

Sign up for our Newsletter

Interested in a monthl roundup of stories? Enter your email to be added to our mailing list.

Skip to content