Why should infants not drink cow’s milk?
The nutrient composition of cow’s milk is specific to a baby calf and not to a human baby. Cow’s milk has a higher level of protein to meet the rapid growth needs of calves. This level, called the renal solute load, is too high for a human baby and could overload a baby’s kidneys resulting in serious health problems. It is harder to digest and could also cause intestinal blood loss. Cow’s milk contains butterfat which is a very saturated fat and also more difficult to digest. As is commonly known, animal saturated fat contributes to heart disease. Butterfat also does not provide the appropriate amounts or balance of essential fatty acids. Although the carbohydrate in cow’s milk is lactose, the same type of carbohydrate in mother’s milk, the level is lower than in breast milk. Cow’s milk is also deficient in iron, which could result in iron deficiency anemia. It is also lacking in copper, Vitamin C and Vitamin E. Human breast milk is the ideal food for a human baby. For those infants wh
