Another question I get asked a lot: “Don’t you need milk for calcium?” The answer is a big “NO.” On top of dairy not having much calcium compared to many plant foods (see below), a lot of people are allergic/lactose intolerant. This means they can’t access the calcium in dairy anyway and it can make them really sick. Dairy has also been linked to heart disease, prostate cancer, and Type 2 diabetes.
The dairy industry paid almost $200 million in the US in 2011 on advertising. So that’s pretty much everyone believes you can only get enough calcium from eating dairy. Marketing. The guys at Mad Men would be proud.
A staggering statistic that also disproves this myth- On average, Americans eat the most dairy and have the highest rates of osteoporosis. According to the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, we eat almost 300 pounds of dairy per year.
Besides not having the highest levels of calcium, eating a lot of dairy and animal protein makes your body acidic. To alkalize itself, the body leeches calcium from your bones.
Inuits have the highest dietary calcium intake of any other people in the world– above 2000 mg per day from fish bones. Their diet is also the highest in the world in protein- up to 400 g a day mostly from fish and have the highest rate of osteoporosis in the world. The Bantu of Africa consume an average of 350 mg of calcium a day and have almost no cases of osteoporosis.
Still don’t believe me? Look at these numbers.
Calcium Sources
In milligrams per 100 gram serving
Butter 20
Whole milk 118
Chickpeas 150
Collard greens 203
Parsley 203
Soybeans 226
Almonds 234
Sesame seeds 1160
In milligrams per 8 oz (1 cup)
Soybean sprouts 50
Alfalfa sprouts 25
Nori 1200
Kombu 2100
Wakame 3500
Tofu 350
Quinoa 80
Kale 72
Okra 81
Corn meal 50
Oats 40
Carrot juice 57
Navy beans 140
Pinto beans 100
Lima beans 60
Black beans 60
Lentils 50
Hazelnuts 450
Walnuts 280
Sunflower seeds 260
Recommended Daily Allowance
* 0-6 months 200 mg
* 6-12 months 260 mg
* 1-3 years 700 mg
* 4-8 years 1000 mg
* 9-18 years 1300 mg
* 19-50 years 1000 mg
* pregnant/lactating 1300 mg
* 51-70 years male 1000 mg
* 51-70 years female 1200 mg
* 70+ years 1200 mg
So as you can see, ‘Milk it does the body good” campaign just isn’t true. Do yourself a favor. Go to your local farmers market this weekend. Try some fresh, green veggies. Buy yourself a juicer and enjoy. Grab a handful of almonds. Eat some hummus. Your bones will thank you.
Live natural. Live well.
Heather
Note: Oxalic acid, which is found in spinach, rhubarb, chard, and beet greens binds with calcium and reduces its absorption. They should not be considered good sources of calcium.
