# What's the Straight Dope on breast milk? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 21, 2004, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-straight-dope-on-breast-milk/270456 "2004-10-21T18:45:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Velma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/85e7bf/32.png) [@Velma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velma)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2004, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-straight-dope-on-breast-milk/270456/1 "2004-10-21T18:45:40Z")
No, this is **not** going to be a debate on formula vs. breastfeeding. Inspired by the milk home-delivery thread, I got to wondering how human milk compares to cow’s milk. I still sometimes find it rather strange that I can produce a beverage and I got to thinking what else I could do. What is the nutritional content? When stored, human milk will separate like whole cow’s milk and the cream rises to the top. Could one make butter, cheese, or ice cream from it? Has anyone ever tried? The next Ben and Jerry’s Flavor? ---
**Author:** ![CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crankyasanoldman/32/11670_2.png) [@CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrankyAsAnOldMan)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2004, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-straight-dope-on-breast-milk/270456/2 "2004-10-21T19:14:56Z")
Well, let’s see here… Human milk Has 1/4 as much protein, 1/6 as much casein, about the same amount of fat, more cholesterol, twice the lactose, 1/3 the sodium, half the chloride and potassium, 1/4 the calcium… In general, it probably sounds a lot less nutritious. But it’s formulated just about right for human babies, with the right amounts of absorbable nutrients. Cooking with breastmilk is something someone else will have to tackle. I’ve heard of making soap out of it. This isn’t IMHO but I will confess that skeeves me out. No good scientifically rational reason for it. Just does. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2004, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-straight-dope-on-breast-milk/270456/3 "2004-10-21T20:29:58Z")
So… would _Half & Half_ refer to the left and right? ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2004, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-straight-dope-on-breast-milk/270456/4 "2004-10-21T20:42:16Z")
> [@Velma](#): > > I still sometimes find it rather strange that I can produce a beverage and I got to thinking what else I could do. We guys can produce a beverage, but it tastes like piss. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2004, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-straight-dope-on-breast-milk/270456/5 "2004-10-21T20:53:11Z")
“Try this… I made it myself.” :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Flander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8c91f0/32.png) [@Flander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flander)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2004, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-straight-dope-on-breast-milk/270456/6 "2004-10-21T21:01:14Z")
> [@CrankyAsAnOldMan](#): > > _snip_ > > Cooking with breastmilk is something someone else will have to tackle. > > _snip_ I just had a flashback to the pan-fried semen thread. Anyone hungry? ---
**Author:** ![Jpeg\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4bbf92/32.png) [@Jpeg\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jpeg_Jones)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2004, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-straight-dope-on-breast-milk/270456/7 "2004-10-21T21:21:30Z")
[Breastmilk butter!](http://www.recipezaar.com/recipe/getrecipe.zsp?id=53903) [Breastmilk Momsicles!](http://www.recipezaar.com/recipe/getrecipe.zsp?id=54421) [Breastmilk Yogurt!](http://www.recipezaar.com/recipe/getrecipe.zsp?id=52832) ---
**Author:** ![Incubus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c68b51/32.png) [@Incubus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Incubus)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2004, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-straight-dope-on-breast-milk/270456/8 "2004-10-21T23:08:49Z")
Its wierd that this is so taboo. People will drink each other’s own _urine_ for chrissakes but they go ‘eww’ at breastmilk? Sheesh, aside from a slightly different viscoscity and taste, its just _milk_. I don’t see what all the commotion is about 😕 If someone marketed this, I’m sure there would be takers. Pasteurized, it would be milk with a gimmick attached. Of course, there might be issues on the _supply_ end (as in, while a woman might be able to make a lot of money selling breastmilk products to curious people, she herself could only make so much of it at a time. And I can’t help but wonder what would happen to a woman’s breasts when they have been ‘milked’ over a long period of time, extracting far more of the stuff than a baby would normally consume ) 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2004, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-straight-dope-on-breast-milk/270456/9 "2004-10-21T23:22:01Z")
Nothing is taboo on the boards. I started this thread a while back: [How does breastmilk taste to adults? Good enough for Starbucks?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=270871) ---
**Author:** ![Velma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/85e7bf/32.png) [@Velma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velma)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2004, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-straight-dope-on-breast-milk/270456/10 "2004-10-21T23:43:48Z")
**JPeg Jones** - really…to make breastmilk butter all I have to do is ‘shake vigorously?’ Hmmm… in a container! A CONTAINER I SAID! I might have to go try this. **Cranky** I have to admit the idea of breastmilk kind of skeeved me out too, but I didn’t know why either. Actually the idea of drinking it from a cow sounds just as bad. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2004, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-straight-dope-on-breast-milk/270456/11 "2004-10-22T00:05:58Z")
> [@Incubus](#): > > If someone marketed this, I’m sure there would be takers. Depends on the packaging.