Good old milk, it has been used for human consumption for thousands of years now.
But there are now new studies that are coming out about calcium supplements and pasteurized milk. Known for being among top calcium sources of the body, they are now accused of causing osteoporosis. Will we look at milk differently from now on? Can we handle the truth about milk and calcium supplements?
Osteoporosis is not a calcium deficiency disease, It's a bone disorder characterized by too little bone mass. When a person with osteoporosis gets older, their bones become brittle, causing them to break more easily. Any bone can be affected, but most often breaks occur in the wrist, hip, or spine, when a person trips and falls.
The United States is among the countries that have the highest rates of osteoporosis in the world, yet, it is also the highest consumers of milk and dairy products. How can this be when they are one of the highest consumers of milk?
Americans are ingesting the wrong kind of calcium. They are consuming a lot of dairy pasteurized products and end up losing more calcium. They end up having a negative calcium balance. There are now 25 million Americans that are being diagnosed with osteoporosis. And that is not even counting the undiagnosed.
20% of bone mass is being replaced by the body each year, but with osteoporosis, there are more bones lost than being replaced. It is not only pasteurized milk that contributes to causing osteoporosis. Calcium leaching foods also bring damage. Calcium leaching foods like red meat, refined sugar, highly heated salt, inorganic phosphorous and caffeine. Diet low in fresh fruits and vegetables, not enough exercise also bring damage. All of these add up to bone loss, all of these factors add up to bring osteoporosis.
Red meat contain large amounts of phosphorous. Phosphorous inhibits calcium absorption.
White sugar brings too much acid formation in the body. Acid formation that needs calcium to buffer the acidification of the body. Calcium that is taken from the bones .Calcium that once taken from the bones leads to bone loss.
Soft drinks contain phosphoric acid that also contributes to osteoporosis.
Patricia Bertron, RD, Neal D Barnard, MD, and Milton Mills, MD, give examples of alternative sources of calcium, "Many green vegetables have calcium absorption rates greater then 50% compared with about 32% for milk. a 1994 study reported calcium absorption of approximately 53% for broccoli, 64% for Brussels sprouts, 58% for mustard greens, and 52% for turnip greens."
"Beans and green leafy vegetables have nutritional advantages that differentiate them from dairy products. They are excellent sources of carotenoids and other antioxidants, complex carbohydrate, fiber, and iron. They contain no animal proteins or cholesterol, little or no saturated fat, and very little sodium unless it is added during cooking."
Plant based food containing calcium:
A small sampling of vegan foods that are high in calcium:
Sesame Seeds
A quarter cup of sesame seeds has 351 mg calcium.
(Sesame seeds contain large amounts of calcium, so feel free to sprinkle them liberally over salads, noodles or entrees. In addition, try some tahini spread (sesame seed butter) on crackers or breads for a little extra bit of calcium.)
Spinach
A cup of boiled spinach has 245 mg.
Collard Greens
A cup of boiled collard greens has 266 mg.
Blackstrap Molasses
One tablespoon has about 137 mg.
Kelp
One cup of raw kelp has 136 mg.
Tahini
Two tablespoons of raw tahini (sesame seed butter) have 126 mg.
Broccoli
Two cups of boiled broccoli have 124 mg.
Swiss Chard
One cup of boiled chard has 102 mg.
Kale
One cup of boiled kale has 94 mg.
Brazil Nuts
Two ounces of Brazil nuts (12 nuts) have 90 mg.
Celery
Two cups of raw celery have 81 mg.
Almonds
One ounce of almonds (23 nuts) has 75 mg.
Papaya
One medium papaya has 73 mg.
Flax Seeds
Two tablespoons of flax seeds have 52 mg.
Oranges
One medium orange has 52 mg.
