From the London restaurant selling “Baby Gaga” (much to Lady Gaga’s chagrin); two scoops of human breast milk ice cream served in a martini glass at $22.00 a pop, to the NYC establishment whose lead chef created various cheese dishes supplied by the breast milk of his lactating wife and ending with the British gentleman, diagnosed with prostate cancer who feels having his daughter’s breast milk with his cornflakes each morning is a step to recovery; adult human breast milk consumption for a trend or for medicinal purposes is a hot yet controversial topic.
There have been no studies to date that show human breast milk consumption by adults have any health benefits however the FDA has reported that the breast milk of humans contain a protein that causes cancerous cells to “self destruct.” This protein reduces the risk of early childhood cancer but is not shown to have the same effect in adults. Researchers are studying this particular protein in order to use its effects in adults with cancer in the future.
The subject of “we are the only mammals to drink another mammal’s milk” is not only poignant but provocative. The milk of all mammals are made of the same things; fat, proteins, lactose, vitamins, minerals, and water. The difference lies in the fact that the proportions of these components vary depending on the species of the young. Cow’s milk is high in protein where as human breast milk is low due to the fact that calves need to double their body weight within 50 days because they will need to find their own food sooner and are weaned earlier. Mother’s milk comes with an enzyme called lipase that helps break down the fat content of the milk (fat is a valuable source of energy for babies and is vital to brain development) so it can be better digested in immature tummies and absorbed into the bloodstream. This enzyme is not the same in cow milk.
Curds and whey are more than the stuff of nursery rhymes. Anyone who has ever left cow’s milk unrefrigerated has seen them. The curd, casein proteins (high in cow’s milk) are the chunky white clots and the whey (higher in human milk) is the liquid portion. Whey is easier to digest ergo…
On a side note, PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) has petitioned Ben and Jerry’s to replace cow milk with human milk. The response was nothing less than “a chilled, rocky road” and thought to be “sprinkled with nuts.”
Image: Picasso "Breast Feeding"
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