Milk is an 8000 year old acquired taste
February 28th 2007 04:42
A recent study of DNA from skeletons has suggested that European adults from 6000BC to 5000BC were unable to absorb lactose, a sugar found in milk.
The findings back the idea that the ability to digest milk spread only after the introduction of cattle farming in Europe 20,000 years ago. The rival idea, that dairy farming was pioneered by a group of Neolithic farmers who tolerated milk, was overturned by the study of a team from University College London and Mainz University, Germany. Instead, the Neolithic offspring of Paleolithic (Stone Age) people evolved their tolerance of milk in the past 8000 years due to exposure to dairy products. To investigate the link between farming and lactose intolerance, the team focused on the DNA for a gene responsible for lactase which is the enzyme required to digest milk. This suggests that the first European cattle farmers used herds for working the land, leather and meat. They moved on to yoghurt and cheese, which contain less lactose.
This means that we have only been drinking milk for a very short period of time in our evolution. Remember also that they didn’t have fridges back then, so yoghurt and cheese were not only a convenient way to preserve dairy but they also contained less lactose which made it tolerable. There are a number of people against the consumption of milk and those for it, namely for health and ethical reasons. Ultimately, you need to weigh the positives and negatives and make your own decision – remember the golden rule – everything in moderation!
The findings back the idea that the ability to digest milk spread only after the introduction of cattle farming in Europe 20,000 years ago. The rival idea, that dairy farming was pioneered by a group of Neolithic farmers who tolerated milk, was overturned by the study of a team from University College London and Mainz University, Germany. Instead, the Neolithic offspring of Paleolithic (Stone Age) people evolved their tolerance of milk in the past 8000 years due to exposure to dairy products. To investigate the link between farming and lactose intolerance, the team focused on the DNA for a gene responsible for lactase which is the enzyme required to digest milk. This suggests that the first European cattle farmers used herds for working the land, leather and meat. They moved on to yoghurt and cheese, which contain less lactose.
This means that we have only been drinking milk for a very short period of time in our evolution. Remember also that they didn’t have fridges back then, so yoghurt and cheese were not only a convenient way to preserve dairy but they also contained less lactose which made it tolerable. There are a number of people against the consumption of milk and those for it, namely for health and ethical reasons. Ultimately, you need to weigh the positives and negatives and make your own decision – remember the golden rule – everything in moderation!
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Comment by Anonymous
I am lactose intolerant. I wonder how many people in the world are also.
Comment by Sheetal Shah
Veggie Orgasm
Vegetarian foods and recipes
I think more and more people are getting aware now about lactose intolerance. In fact, some scientific research shows that humans are not meant to consume milk after childhood. According to Ayurveda (Indian medical science), milk is especially harmful in certain circumstances eg, if you are having a cold you are meant to stay away from milk as it can be mucus-producing.
Sheetal