Why Milk is Not The Best Source of Calcium

Are you surprised? For years the government and the Dairy Food Board have been going on and on about the importance of getting your 2 to 4 servings of dairy products a day in order to meet the calcium requirements. However, milk and milk products are actually not the best source of calcium out there. What is more is that the rate of sensitivities to milk and lactose intolerance is extremely high in the population, so why suffer in order to get that needed calcium when there are a myriad of other great, hypo-allergenic sources out there?

Some Myths About Milk

High Insulin Index

You may have heard the terms Glycemic Index, Glycemic Load and Insulin Index floating around when it comes to food, especially if you or someone you know is diabetic and has concerns about their blood glucose levels. To avoid confusion, let me break it down for you:

Glycemic Index is the rise in circulating blood glucose that occurs when you consume a certain good.

Glycemic Load is slightly different in that it is the speed at which a certain food is converted to glucose (a sugar) in your blood stream once you eat it, which ultimately, is related to the rise in blood glucose.

Insulin Index is the measure of the rise of insulin in response to the food that has been eaten, sometimes regardless of the glycemic load or glycemic index, although normally they are closely related. The more sugar in your bloodstream, the higher the amount of insulin released by your pancreas.

Milk is a bit of an anomaly in the sense that skimmed milk is rather low on the Glycemic Index scale and is therefore considered safe for those who have blood sugar issues. However, studies have now shown that milk and dairy products are extremely high on the Insulin Index, meaning that no matter how ‘’skimmed’’ it is, it’s still going to cause a spike in your insulin levels, regardless of how much sugar is being released in the bloodstream. To risk high insulin response for a supposedly high source of calcium does not make it the most ideal source.

Lactose-Intolerance

Milk is made up of Lactose, a sugar that is actually a molecule composed of two smaller sugars: one part glucose and one part galactose. When we are breast-feeding, we contain the enzymes necessary to break down the sugars contained in milk, mainly mother’s human milk. Once we are weaned, the enzyme production seizes in our bodies, leading to lactose intolerance. This means that we are unable to digest and absorb products containing lactose: Dairy products.

Symptoms of lactose intolerance include bloating, gas, stomach rumbling, diarrhea, constipation, cramps and even vomiting. When your body reacts to milk products in this way, your body is unable to absorb any of the good nutrients that are contained in the milk, such as the calcium and B-vitamins. About 75% of the world’s population and yes, 25% of the US population is lactose intolerant (Physicians Committee For Responsible Medicine. N.D.) meaning that for the majority of the world, milk and milk products are not a good source of calcium.

Levels of Toxins Contained In Milk

As the age old adage goes, you are what you eat and in this day and age of factory farming, mass production and genetically modified foods, this is something that is more important than ever.

This certainly is a concern for what the cows eat. Most of the cow products (meat and dairy) that we see lining the supermarket shelves come from large factory farms, where cattle are forced into crowded lots, dosed with antibiotics in order to deal with the constant disease from their over-crowded and unhygienic living conditions. On top of that, the cows are fed corn and high-starch diets in order to fatten them up much quicker which leads to a higher percentage of E. coli 0157:H7 populations being spread throughout our public food system (Callaway TR, et al. 2009). A cow’snatural diet is grass, not corn, which keeps their stomach bacteria populations under control.

On top of that, the cows are pumped full of hormones in order to make their bodies think they are still breast-feeding in order to product mass amounts of milk. As a result, the milk is lesser quality, full of antibiotics and hormone injections and coming from a source that is possibly riddled with a deadly form of E. coli. Do you wantthat to be your main source of calcium?

Other Great Sources of Calcium

Do not feel down. This is not to say that it is impossible to get that seemingly elusive calcium. This is only to say that milk and dairy products are not the only source, nor are they the best source of calcium. Here are a few other sources of calcium that are healthy and have no secondary effects.

Green Leafy Vegetables

Those dark, aromatic greens such as Kale, Collards, Dandelion Greens, Mustard Greens and Spinach contain between 100mg – 200mg of calcium per cup! Not only that, they are also a great source of vitamin C, magnesium and dietary fiber which will keep your body healthy and regular. Dark green leafy vegetables are good for strong teeth and bones and a healthy smile and great hair as well as overall vitality. Make sure you eat your salads everyday!

Sesame Seeds

Given that the majority of Asians are lactose intolerant, it isn’t hard to wonder how they maintain their low rates of osteoporosis without consuming dairy products.  Sesame seeds are a large part of the Asian and Middle Eastern diet, and 100g of toasted sesame seeds provide nearly 1000mg of calcium! That is the equivalent of 4 tall glasses of milk! Plus it’s delicious on salads, as a coating on fish or meats and who can forget as a paste, such as tahini!

Bok Choy and Broccoli

These crunchy vegetables are also a great source of calcium. One cup of each contains about 100mg of calcium, so throw the in your stir fries, your curries or enjoy them raw.

Multivitamins

If you are finding it difficult to get your 800mg of calcium per day (or over 1000mg  if you are pregnant or breast-feeding) then perhaps supplementing your diet with a multivitamin would be a good idea. There are many multivitamins out there, although not all are created equally. Make sure that you look for something that contains at least 700-800mg of calcium per serving and that it also contains at least 400mg of magnesium as well. Calcium and magnesium are absorbed in the body together and if there is too much of one and not enough of another, you could create other imbalances later on.

Remember that calcium is an essential nutrient, important for your bones, muscles, teeth and even hormone function. If you are not sure about your calcium intake, please consult with your health care practitioner.

Check out our Women’s multivitamis that is rich in calcium.