Myth ‘milk causes mucus’

Today, for the first Monthly Myth Monday, we are tackling the myth that ‘milk causes mucus’.

It is one of the most persistent myths in nutrition: milk promotes mucus production. When children are suffering from respiratory infections, it is often stated that the consumption of milk and dairy products should be restricted or even avoided. But what is the truth behind this hypothesis? 

The fact is: this statement has been scientifically disproved. 

Already years ago, studies demonstrated that drinking milk sometimes leads to the feeling of a ‘‘coated throat’’ or thicker saliva, but these are perceptions that are due to milk’s natural texture and increased viscosity after reacting with saliva (formation of milk emulsion aggregates) - not an increase in mucus production.