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Pete Evans under fire for telling breastfeeding mothers to feed their babies camel milk.

Celebrity chef Pete Evans has once again come under fire after he advised breastfeeding mums to feed their infants camel milk, saying that it is “just as nutritious as human milk”.

In the post, which was featured on his Paleo Way website, Evan’s claims camel milk could supplement breastfeeding.

Pete Evans. File Image.

“It’s nearly identical in its total composition to human milk and as such may prove useful where supplementing regular breastfeeding might be necessary, as well as a non-immune reactive dairy alternative,” he states.

Advocates of camel's milk claim that it is a super-food which can aid diabetes, autism, digestive issues and food allergies.

Evans says that camel's milk, although expensive and hard to find, "is generally safe from an immune reactive standpoint".

The comments have angered health professionals who have slammed Evans for again providing medical advice, despite not being qualified to do so.

Experts have warned parents not to feed their infants camel's milk for fear of liver damage.

President of the Public Health Association of Australia Professor Heather Yeatman told the Daily Telegraph that camel milk was “not a substitute for breast milk”.

“Camel milk has three times the amount of protein that breast milk has and could cause kidney damage,” Professor Yeatman said.

This isn't the first time Evans has come under fire from health professionals.

Last month, Evans told an osteoporosis sufferer: "I would strongly suggest removing dairy and eating the paleo way as calcium from dairy can remove the calcium from your bones," on his verified Chef Pete Evans Facebook page. The comments were later deleted.

Dr Brad Robinson penned an open letter to Evans following the post that was titled: "You are a chef, NOT a doctor".

"You are not someone who magically knows things that the sum total of generations of medical research has determined," said Dr Robinson.

"You do not have access to information that we uneducated doctors do not. Your astounding advice about osteoporosis would be amusing if it wasn't so potentially damaging to anyone at risk who actually believed you."

Robinson concluded by saying: "Can we make a deal? You don't give medical advice and I won't tell you how to best shuck oysters. Agreed?"

In response to the letter, which went viral, Evans stated: "Food is medicine".

Earlier in the year, Evans again upset professionals by claiming that people should cease using traditional sunscreens because of the amount of chemicals they contain.

Evans was criticised by Dr Tony Bartone, the vice-president of the Australian Medical Association, who told the Sydney Morning Herald:"I wouldn't tell Pete Evans how to cook a chook. We should all stick to our fields of expertise and leave medical treatment to appropriate medical professionals."

NSW Health have advised parents who wish to substitute breastfeeding to only use approved commercial formulas which have met food and safety guidelines. Failing to do so may put babies at risk.

What's that Pete? Smoking is GOOD for you? Well, you're the expert...

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Top Comments

Jah-pops 8 years ago

Can't we stop giving this guy and his ridiculous claims airtime? It's bad enough he uses social media to spread this stuff but now he manages to get so much more attention when the media repeat it and add fuel to the fire. He needs to stop dishing out health advice but sites like Mamamia need to stop giving him even more publicity!


Neesa 8 years ago

My husband's GP told him to forget a diet and exercise and he had more chance of being run over by a bus than dying of heart disease. My husband has high risk factors. There is bad advice everywhere.

Rebecca 8 years ago

But did your doctor have a social media platform?

Rush 8 years ago

At least with a doctor there are ways to make a complaint if necessary. They can ultimately be banned from practising if their advice/ behaviour is dangerous enough. Trouble with this guy, is he can give out whatever crackpot theories he likes as 'medical' advice, with no repercussions except some media backlash - which he seems to thrive on.

Anonymous 8 years ago

But Evans is not giving 'medical' advice. In fact he wants to distance himself from those dictators as much as he can!