Garden Harvest's
Milk  & Egg Distribution Program
 

The Need: Over the 10 years that Garden Harvest has been serving the hungry, it has become distressingly obvious that there are very few high-quality protein foods available to low income persons. Poor people simply do not have access to foods containing all of the essential amino acids necessary for growth and for health

Why Protein is so critical: Besides water, protein is the most prevalent substance in the human body.   And like water, proteins need to be continuously replenished to maintain a healthy balance between degeneration and regeneration of body tissue.  People who have a well rounded diet complete with all of the essential amino acids can maintain a healthy balance of breaking down and building up the tissue throughout their body, and are therefore healthier and more resistant to disease and injury.  Children especially need ample protein to grow and develop normally.

Why Milk?  Milk is a high quality protein with all the essential amino acids necessary for growth & health. Unlike meat, milk offers the additional bonus of calcium that is necessary for bone and blood vessel health. A good accumulation of calcium in the bones in early childhood is the best preventive measure against age-related bone loss and fractures. Low levels of calcium increase the risk of hypertension. Severe deficiency can lead to an abnormal heartbeat, while a moderate deficiency may lead to cramps, joint pains, insomnia, irritability, brittle nails, eczema, numbness in the arms or legs, high cholesterol levels, and a slow pulse rate. It is therefore important to consume an adequate amount of calcium, and milk is unquestionably the best source. 

Why then, the whole controversy about milk? 
The critics that make sweeping statements about milk being unfit for human consumption are misleading, because the data upon which their attacks are founded is based purely on cow's milk.

• Cow's milk, even in its purest state, is biochemically and constitutionally quite different from goat's milk or sheep's milk or human milk. Because of these differences, many people are intolerant to cow milk; this intolerance shows up as lactose intolerance or mucus-related problems such as nasal discharge, frequent colds, asthma, breathing problems, frequent coughs, sinus problems, tumors, cysts, constipation, obesity, growth of candida albicans, coated tongue, etc.

• And besides the constitutional differences that make cow's milk less tolerable for human consumption, the milk that is most commercially available in your average grocery store is from cows that are fed hormones, antibiotics,  and chemical laden feed, the residues of which pass into their milk. In addition, these cows are generally confined to very tight areas, and hence lack the exercise, fresh air, and ability to move away from their own waste. Therefore, cow milk contains a lot of unnatural things that affect its quality. 

However, most people who cannot tolerate cow milk thrive on goat milk, and many claim healing properties for goat milk. Goat milk, while it tastes just like cow milk, is closest constitutionally to human breast milk and significantly different from cow milk in its biochemical make-up and in ways that results in a much healthier source of protein, calcium, and micronutrients for human consumption.

For details on the health benefits of goat's milk and how it is constitutionally different from cow's milk, CLICK HERE.

Why eggs?  Eggs, precisely because they are designed to produce a living organism, contain the widest variety and most concentrated nutrients including the essential amino acids, Vitamin B12, and folic acid, which are lacking in meatless diets, yet vital to the maintenance of heart health.  Also, eggs are one of the easiest and most versatile foods to prepare, and can be incorporated into many baked goods, puddings, etc. They keep a long time, the USDA maintains 30-40 days refrigerated, and are naturally protected from contamination by their hard shell.

What about cholesterol in eggs? Eggs do contain some cholesterol as does meat, seafood, and poultry. Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance produced by all mammals, including humans. Cholesterol is needed for many bodily functions and serves to insulate nerve fibers, maintain cell walls and produce vitamin D, various hormones and digestive juices. Cholesterol is produced by the liver. There is a difference between dietary cholesterol (the cholesterol you consume in foods) and blood cholesterol (the cholesterol in your bloodstream, also called serum cholesterol). Dietary cholesterol does not automatically become blood cholesterol when you eat it. Most of your blood cholesterol is made by your body. Individuals vary in how much cholesterol their body makes. There is little doubt that elevated blood cholesterol levels increase heart disease risk. But the effect of dietary cholesterol on blood cholesterol levels is the subject of debate among health professionals. That's because research does not show that food cholesterol significantly boosts blood cholesterol levels in everyone. Even cholesterol-lowering diets allow moderate amounts of whole eggs. There is no limit on egg whites, since they're cholesterol and fat-free.

To support the milk & eggs program, you can

• Volunteer your skill,
• Donate online, or
• Adopt a goat!