By Femi Kusa/
Ekiti State schoolchildren and their parents must still be buzzing about the gifts of Children’s Day 2025. Why not? The Federal Government promised to reinstate free lunch for primary school pupils, and Ekiti State pledged to supplement this with free lunch milk. The federal lunch pack may feature a boiled egg or beef. Parents and child health advocates have applauded both governments, and the dairy industry is likely celebrating a new, large-scale market.
For years, dairy marketers have blitzed the media with campaigns linking milk to sharper brains, stronger bodies, and better overall health in children. But scientific findings—particularly the ten-year study by Dr. Francis Pottenger—suggest otherwise. As a natural nutrition advocate, I have grave concerns about feeding children pasteurized or canned cow’s milk. Many do not realize that this can make girls aggressive, boys docile, and contribute to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), low academic performance, bone degeneration, fertility issues, and even shortened lifespans.
The Pottenger’s Cats Study
Thanks to Dr. Francis Pottenger Jr., a researcher and physician, we have strong evidence to question these milk claims. Over ten years, he studied 900 cats to determine the effects of raw versus cooked foods—including milk—on health, behavior, fertility, and longevity.
After learning about this study some 30 years ago, I eliminated cow’s milk, poultry eggs, chicken, turkey, refined sugar, bread, and fried foods from my family’s diet. The more I read about cow’s milk, the more alarmed I became.
Dense Milk, Acidic Problems
Cow’s milk is dense—designed by nature to grow a calf into a walking animal within hours of birth. Human babies, by contrast, take about a year to walk. Doesn’t this biological mismatch raise red flags?
Cow’s milk is also acid-forming, leading to a condition called acidosis. In the new biology of health, acid-forming foods are known to harm the body by providing a breeding ground for pathogens and overwhelming the immune system. On the pH scale, cow’s milk ranges between 6.4 and 6.8—below the neutral median of 7.0. For optimal health, the human body aims for a slightly alkaline pH of 7.364. Why feed our children something that drags them in the opposite direction?
Hormones in Milk: A Hidden Danger
But acidity isn’t the only concern. Modern dairy production forces cows to produce milk year-round—even when they are not nursing. How? With the use of hormones, especially synthetic estrogen. This is deeply unnatural.
When humans consume dairy laden with synthetic hormones, it disrupts their endocrine systems. In girls, this may cause early puberty, breast development at age 9 or 10, and irregular ovulation due to elevated prolactin levels. These hormonal imbalances may lead to breast pain, fibroids, endometriosis, and even breast cancer.
In boys, excess estrogen may cause stunted genitalia, low testosterone, flabby muscles, and later in life, low sperm counts and infertility. These consequences are rarely associated with milk in everyday discourse, but the links are real.
A Personal Confession
I was once a “milk and egg boy.” As a child, I drank condensed milk and OSTER milk. Later, I began mixing raw eggs and milk into supplements like ECGOVIN to build muscle. Instead, I ended up with bloating, indigestion, and shortness of breath. My grandfather helped nurse me back to health. I now suspect that formula included “electric fish” (eja ojiji) and other traditional remedies.
In the years that followed, I traveled through Europe and the United States, where I learned firsthand how big food industries manipulate perception and profits. In the Netherlands, I visited a global dairy brand’s factory. Fresh milk was collected from farms, poured into giant tanks, doused with preservatives, and stored for months before being boiled, canned, and shipped worldwide—including to Nigeria.
ADHD and the Yellow Yolk Deception
Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is rampant among schoolchildren today. Preservatives, artificial coloring, and flavoring in milk and eggs are a key culprit. When you see a very yellow yolk, you might assume it’s rich in beta-carotene—a nutrient from green plants. But caged poultry have no access to greens. Instead, farmers use synthetic dyes to produce that vibrant yellow. These dyes are potential carcinogens and are strongly linked to ADHD, irritability, and learning difficulties.
What Did Pottenger’s Cats Reveal?
From 1932 to 1942, Dr. Pottenger observed that cats fed raw meat and raw milk maintained excellent health: strong bones, good teeth, easy pregnancies, and low infant mortality. In contrast, those fed cooked or pasteurized diets quickly degenerated—with skeletal deformities, infections, miscarriages, and early deaths. Alarmingly, these degenerative conditions worsened in subsequent generations. When Dr. Pottenger reversed their diet back to raw food, it took three generations before some semblance of health returned.
This has enormous implications for humans—and for school lunch policy.
A Better Alternative: Groundnuts & Cocoa
If we are to truly nourish our children, we must look beyond milk and eggs. Consider groundnuts with peels on and unsweetened cocoa powder:
Groundnuts:
Rich in healthy fats and protein
Packed with fiber
High in magnesium, potassium, vitamin E, and B3
Peels contain antioxidants and polyphenols
Cocoa Powder:
Loaded with flavonoids that improve blood flow and brain function
Helps regulate blood pressure and cholesterol
Contains polyphenols that may reduce risk of heart disease and stroke
Groundnuts and cocoa powder can be hygienically vacuum-packed and distributed through certified vendors operating under Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP). For sweetness, use date sugar or tiger nut milk powder—nutrient-rich alternatives to refined sugar.
Cocoa: Nigeria’s Neglected Gold
We’ve long undervalued cocoa in Nigeria, yet it’s now among the most sought-after commodities globally. In the 1960s and ’70s, cocoa bread was a hit at Yaba bus stop in Lagos. One of its champions was Emmanuel Odumosu, a.k.a. Jesus of Oyingbo. We would do well to reclaim that nutritional heritage.
In Conclusion
I stopped consuming milk, eggs, and poultry 30 years ago—and I haven’t looked back. Books like Healthy Kids by South African authors Mary-Ann Shearer and Charlotte Meschede advocate similarly.
With Pottenger’s name ringing in our ears, and the evidence from Pottenger’s Cats before us, it’s time to ask: should milk and eggs really be part of our children’s daily meals?
Hands up if you still vote yes.
FEMI KUSA was at various times Editor; Director of Publication/ Editor-in-Chief of THE GUARDIAN NEWSPAPER; Editorial Director/ Editor-in-Chief of THE COMET NEWSPAPER. Currently, he keeps a Thursday Column on Alternative Medicine in the NATION NEWSPAPER.
Some of his health columns may be found on www.olufemikusa.com and in MIDIUM a digital platform for writers. He is active also on Facebook @ John OLUFEMI KUSA.
0
