Beer Might (Probably) Be Better for You Than Milk

September 19, 2016

  •  So today it’s not exactly a secret that too much alcohol is bad for your health, but historically, beer was often considered to be a bit of a health drink to ancient people. (On that note, here’s five beer-related videos to drink to.) Plenty of times throughout history, fermented drinks were chosen over potentially contaminated drinking water. Ales were safer and provided energy to the drinker, instead of cholera.  Now, PETA is using this fun little nugget of history as the basis for a new campaign: Beer is Healthier for You Than Milk. The campaign was heavily criticized at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where they replaced ‘Got Milk?’ signs with ‘Got Beer?’ Not like anyone is surprised.

  •  This is not sitting well with the chief science officer of the National Dairy Council, Greg Miller. According to VICE, Miller said that the campaign is irresponsible and promotes binge drinking. He also didn’t like the whole ‘milk sucks’ part. The ad reads: “It’s official: Beer is better for you than milk. Studies show that beer can strengthen bones and extend life, while milk is linked to obesity, diabetes, and cancer. Drink responsibly: Don’t drink milk.” With an asterisk, it cites Harvard’s School of Public Health and three additional medical journals for funzies.  At a press release, PETA’s executive VP Tracy Reiman made a statement that probably pissed off some carnivores: “The verdict is in, and even beer beats milk hands down. Alcohol in moderation can be good for you, but there’s no way to consume dairy foods responsibly when they harm our health and cause billions of cows to suffer.”  However you feel about animal rights in general and PETA in particular, this time, they might have a point. Science is conflicted on the benefits of both moderate alcohol consumption and consumption of dairy milk, which is high in saturated fat and sugar. (Excessive alcohol consumption is condemned across the board.) Regardless, we’d probably order a quality IPA over milk anyways.  Anyways, in case you needed to add some fun to your early week, PETA is giving us a good reason to ditch your green machine and grab a cold one.    What do you think? Ditch dairy or do you still rock the milk ‘stache? Comment below or Tweet at us @WhatsTrending on Twitter.