These are common myths about milk and dairy foods:

• Soymilk is just as nutritious as regular milk. Myth buster
• If you are lactose intolerant, you should avoid all dairy foods. Myth buster
• Dairy foods cause weight gain. Myth buster
• Drinking milk causes early puberty. Myth buster
• Drinking milk when you have a cold causes mucus. Myth buster
• Organic milk is safer than regular milk. Myth buster
• Flavored milk is not good for children? Myth buster
• Drinking milk causes kidney stones. Myth buster
• Nonfat milk is just watered down whole milk. Myth buster

Soy-based beverages are not nutritionally equivalent to milk.

Fortified soymilk may contain the same amount of calcium as cow's milk on the label, but you have to drink more of it to get the same benefits because the amount of calcium the body absorbs is less. Creighton University researchers calculated that the body absorbs about 25 percent less calcium from soymilk than from cow's milk. Since soy beverages are naturally low in calcium (about 10 milligrams per serving), manufacturers fortify them with calcium salts to boost the calcium content. However, the amount of calcium salts added is not regulated and may vary from 80 to 500 milligrams a serving. A serving of milk (8 ounces) contains about 300 milligrams of calcium. It would take 500 milligrams of calcium in an 8-ounce serving of fortified soymilk to equal the calcium in a glass of cow's milk.

People with lactose intolerance can enjoy dairy foods, if eaten in small quantities with meals.

People with lactose intolerance have trouble digesting the natural sugar in milk and may experience bloating or stomach discomfort if they drink large quantities of milk. It is important to know that lactose intolerance is not the same thing as a milk allergy, which causes a reaction to the protein in the milk.

The good news is that recent research has shown that most people who are lactose intolerant can actually consume up to 2 cups of milk per day without symptoms if spread out over the day, e.g. one cup at breakfast and one at dinner. The recommended number of servings from the milk/dairy group can also be obtained by eating cheese and yogurt, which are generally better tolerated than milk. The importance of maintaining milk and dairy products in the diets of lactose intolerant individuals, because of their contribution to overall diet quality, has been affirmed by The American Academy of Pediatrics in a September 2006 report, the committee for the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the National Medical Association, the largest African American physicians group in the country.

Try some of the following tips to manage your lactose intolerance and learn what works best for you:

• Drink milk and eat dairy foods with meals and snacks.
• Drink and eat dairy products in smaller, more frequent servings.
• Choose dairy foods that are more easily digested. These include whole and chocolate milk, aged or ripened cheeses like cheddar and Swiss, ice cream and ice milk.
• Eat yogurt with active cultures. The bacterial cultures breakdown the milk sugar (lactose) in these products. The "good bacteria" found in yogurt also enhances your health.
• Look for lactose-reduced products in your dairy case.
• Take Lactaid® tablets or drops before consuming dairy products.

Eating a diet containing 3-4 servings of dairy products per day does not enhance weight gain.

Multiple observational studies show that people who consume more calcium and dairy foods weigh less or have less body fat than those who consume little or no dairy. A pilot study reported in the 2004 Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that calcium rich diets do not cause weight gain in pubertal girls as compared to girls on their usual diets. The additional servings of dairy foods did however provide significant improvements in overall nutrition.

There is no scientific evidence that drinking milk causes early puberty.

The latest hypothesis is that a high fat diet could be the culprit. On the other hand, milk is a very significant source of calcium and should not be eliminated during puberty. Pre-teen girls (9 and up) need 1300 mg of calcium a day since this is the "window of time" during late childhood and adolescence when calcium is deposited in bone.

Milk consumption does not lead to mucus production or occurrence of asthma.

The belief has been held for centuries that milk causes mucus formation, although the few studies on this topic have failed to demonstrate any effect of milk on mucus production. Many people confuse the temporary, slight thickening of saliva after drinking milk with mucus. There is no scientific research showing that milk produces mucus in the airways or the throat. It will not worsen cold or asthma symptoms. In fact, drinking lots of fluids when you have a cold is important in speeding up recovery and may do your immune system some good.

- Wüthrich, B. Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 2005:24: 547S – 555S

Organic milk is identical in composition to regular milk.

All milk must comply with very stringent safety standards and is among the most highly regulated and safest foods on the shelf. While organic dairy farmers use only organic fertilizers and organic pesticides, and their cows are not given supplemental hormones, the milk itself is identical to the milk produced conventionally. Stringent government standards that include testing all types of milk for antibiotic and pesticide residues ensure that both organic milk and conventional milk are pure, safe and nutritious.

Flavored milk is an excellent source of essential nutrients that children commonly under-consume.

Because flavored milk is a good source of high-quality protein and offers children a package of essential nutrients, including calcium, magnesium, potassium and vitamin D, it is considered a nutrient-rich beverage that supplies many of the nutrients that children commonly under-consume.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the following daily intake of calcium for bone health:

Daily Calcium Needs

Flavored milk, which is appealing to children and teens, contains as much calcium as regular milk and is a great way to help them meet the recommended three to four calcium servings daily.

Kidney stones are not caused by drinking milk.

Contrary to popular belief, milk does not lead to the buildup of mineral deposits in the kidney leading to kidney stones. Research out of the University of Chicago showed that people could consume 600 mg of calcium (the amount in two cups of milk) without increasing their risk of stone formation. Some research suggests that drinking milk is associated with lower rates of kidney stone formation.

Nonfat milk is made by skimming off the fat—no water is added.

A cup of nonfat milk contains less than ½ gram of fat and is fortified with Vitamin A and usually with Vitamin D. In the United States, skim or nonfat milk is also known as "fat free" milk. Nonfat milk contains comparable amounts of protein, calcium, potassium, phosphorous and other key nutrients found in higher fat milks.

For additional information on Milk Myths:
http://www.berkeleywellness.com/html/fw/fwNut04Dairy.html
UC Berkeley Wellness Letter addresses claims and facts about dairy products.