Letters to the Editor, Jan. 25, 2019 | Milk has real nutrition; nut juice not so much

Find real nutrition in real milk

The Food and Drug Administration describes milk as a secretion derived from a lactating gland. I wasn’t aware that a tree had a lactating gland.

The argument over the word “milk” starts with nutrition, and that’s where dairy products win. The data speaks for itself based on a survey commissioned by Dairy Management, Inc. and conducted by the IPSOS research group. Seventy-three percent of consumers believe that almond-based drinks have as much or more protein per serving as milk. The reality is that actual milk has eight times more protein than this plant-based imposter made from almond scraps.

Fifty-three percent of consumers believed plant-based food manufacturers labeled their product “milk” because the nutritional value was similar. But reading the nutrition labels, reveals that is not true. Consumers who only bought plant-based drinks were most likely to believe this misinformation. Of those buyers, 68 percent strongly or somewhat agree those drinks have the same nutritional content as dairy milk.

Those beverages simply do not deliver the same nutritional content.

City must not turn back on UCP

Re “Modesto nonprofit that helps disabled faces loss of city contract” (Page 3A, Jan. 16): For a measly $18,000, the city of Modesto wants to terminate the 20-year relationship with the United Cerebral Palsy to maintain the benches at city bus stops. There are three stellar reasons the city council should reject this recommendation.

No. 1: UCP is local. City leaders constantly advocate spending local. Practice what you preach.

No. 2: Helping mentally disabled adults. Creative Outdoor Advertising is not going to give these people the skills to live and function in our community. UCP has demonstrated its commitment to this for decades.

No.3: Community goodwill. Not all city decisions should be predicated on the bottom line. Doesn’t the city council have a duty to our community beyond the bottom line?

The city of Modesto needs to do what’s right.

Use the wall to gain concessions

I tend to agree with those who conclude that for $5.6 billion the Democratic Party could probably get what it wants with respect to immigration and border security. For the cost of the President’s border security initiative, Speaker Nancy Pelosi could probably get amnesty for “Dreamers” and other changes to immigration and labor policies. In any case, it is unlikely a wall will ever be built along the entire southern border as people realize it is too expensive and impractical. When the shutdown ends, federal workers should be forgiven all tardiness in respect to financial obligations.