No Milk? How Will I Get Enough Calcium?
Today I want us to take a closer look at a common myth about dairy… I don’t know about you, but my mom always made me drink a big glass of milk every day. I actually hated the taste and would hold my nose as I threw it back. I discovered if I chased it with some orange juice before I took a breath I could usually mask the taste enough to survive. I also remember all the ads I would see… “Milk. Does a body good.” My mom was just trying to keep me healthy, having been bombarded with the idea that kids need milk because of its calcium content in order to grow healthy bones! Herein lies the myth we are discussing in this week’s blog.
Myth: Milk is the single best source of calcium you can ingest, and without it, you will be at risk of a calcium deficiency which will lead to osteoporosis.
Fact: You are far better off getting your calcium from quality vegetable sources such as broccoli, kale, collard greens, and brussels sprouts, nuts like almonds and brazil nuts, sesame seeds, and tofu. In fact, studies consistently show that the consumption of milk and other dairy products actually contribute to calcium LOSS from our bones!
To briefly describe why, its necessary to understand that our bodies must stay at a certain level of alkalinity to stay alive. Milk has an acidic pH, so the more milk you drink, the more your body must find ways to create an alkaline environment. One way it does this is by leaching calcium, which is an alkalining agent, from our bones. Less calcium in our bones equals weaker, more brittle bones that eventually leads to osteoperosis.
The powerful dairy industry certainly does not want this information to become well-known, after so many years of successfully brainwashing us that we NEED their products!
Study after study has concluded that non-dairy sources of calcium such as broccoli, kale, collards, and brussels sprouts are of great quality and highly absorbable in comparison to milk. To learn more on the truth about dairy, read this incredibly well done article from the Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine’s website:
Calcium, Osteoporosis, and the Selling of Dairy Products
Fortunately, you have DeliverLean to deliver to your door delicious, nutritionally balanced vegan meals with lots of the superfoods that contain calcium!
– By Ella Magers
