In response to John Gray's letter, "Ingles Infomercial Has No Place in Paper," [Nov. 13 Xpress] I don't fault the Xpress for printing self-serving corporate spin. The paper would probably go out of business if it censored ads containing hype, half-truths and double-speak. Consumers must be vigilant when reading information provided by someone out to make a buck.
I thank Mr. Gray for providing a factual, unbiased presentation of the issues surrounding organically raised food. His letter has prompted me to respond to another “Eating Right for Good Health" ad, in which Ms. [Leah] McGrath extolled the benefits of drinking milk. I think some disclosure is in order: Ingles owns and operates Milkco, a large milk-processing and packaging plant. While the [claim] that dairy products are good for you is prevalent in our society, and has been highly promoted by merchants and multimillion dollar advertising campaigns, it is simply not true.
You have probably been led to believe that dairy products and calcium supplements help to prevent osteoporosis. Not so, according to part one of Building Bone Vitality: A Revolutionary Diet Plan to Prevent Bone Loss and Reverse Osteoporosis, co-authored by UNC Asheville Professor Dr. Amy Lanou. Her book, which cites over 1,200 scientific studies, tells us that people living in countries that consume the most milk, dairy foods and calcium supplements suffer the most fractures.
Dairy products also contribute to cancer risk, obesity, heart disease, acne and arthritis pain. Former director of pediatrics at Johns Hopkins University, Dr. Frank A. Oski, summed it up when he said, "There's no reason to drink cow's milk at any time in your life. It was designed for calves, not humans, and we should all stop drinking it today."
If you want to be healthy, stop listening to those who have a product to sell and start paying attention to science. To learn more, visit www.strongbones.org.
— Terri David
Asheville
Editor’s note: Readers with concerns regarding Ingles’ advertisements are welcome to contact Leah McGrath directly via the Ingles website at ingles-markets.com.
For more on this topic, see the Sept. 18 Xpress story “From Cow to Cup,” at avl.mx/02z.
— Editors note: Readers with concerns regarding Ingles advertisements are welcome to contact Leah McGrath directly via the Ingles website at ingles-markets.com.
Before you comment
The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.