 |
Getting
Sufficient Calcium from Plant Sources
-Calcium without Dairy?
by K. Partridge
The human body is amazing.
Designed to run on vitamins, nutrients, sunlight, and water – it
continues to function on cigarettes, alcohol, and fatty, high-in-sugar,
processed foods. But we all know, that just because our bodies can put
up with the abuse, doesn’t make it ok.
Ever wonder why your mother was always saying, “Eat your greens
– they’ll make you strong”? Well, its true! Leafy greens
are not only high in calcium but also help to reduce calcium loss –
which makes bones stronger and keeps bones stronger.
The most ideal foods for bone health are those that are high in calcium
but also reduce calcium losses. Excess amounts of proteins cause changes
in kidney activity, which results in large losses of calcium form the
body. In the United States, when we hear that we need more calcium for
strong bones and healthy bodies, we typically increase our intake of milk,
cheese, and other dairy (animal) products. After all, milk = calcium,
right?
Not necessarily.
Dairy foods actual increase calcium losses while providing calcium. As
proof, take in to account the high rates of osteoporosis in populations
around the world that eat rich diets loaded with animal proteins such
as the US and England. If dairy products contain sufficient amounts of
calcium, which is supposed to prevent Osteoporosis, then why are our Osteoporosis
rates so incredibly high?
Our bodies absorb the needed amount of calcium from the bloodstream. When
the bloodstream does not have sufficient calcium, the needed amount is
absorbed from the bones. If the body does not get sufficient calcium from
food, and continues to take calcium from the bones, the bones begin to
thin, increasing the risk of fracture. Calcium is also lost from the body
in urine, gut secretions and sweat.
According to Dr. John McDougall, to insure that your have more calcium
entering the body than leaving, eat foods low in protein, especially low
in animal protein. High-protein, low-calcium foods that actually increase
calcium loss include fish, eggs, and meat. Foods that help to reduce calcium
loss include fruits and vegetables such as bananas, peppers, oranges,
kale, and beans. These foods are rich in potassium, which is known to
reduce calcium loss. These potassium- and nutrient-rich foods “will
boost retained calcium by about 40 mg per day - enough to reverse a 1%
loss of bone calcium per year.”
Choosing the right source of protein is just as important for your calcium
balance as the right choice of calcium-rich foods. Increasing your protein
intake with 100 g of meat or fish can cause a loss of 25 mg of calcium
because your kidneys must work overtime to process the food; whereas,
100 g of beans, providing the same protein with less kidney work, actually
has a neutral effect on calcium balance.
While all dairy products do provide calcium, they simultaneously increase
calcium loss. A diet rich in animal products creates an abundance of acid
that must be neutralized in order for the body to function properly and
health to be maintained. This internal imbalance of nutrients is the direct
cause of kidney stones and can lead to osteoporosis. Fruit and vegetables
are the best foods to add to your diet to increase calcium intake and
calcium absorption while decreasing calcium loss.
In a study done at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis
on 18 strict raw food vegans, the participants appeared to be generally
healthier than their meat-eating counterparts. The raw food vegans had
less inflammation and lower levels of IGF-1, an important growth factor
regulated by calorie and protein intake. High levels of IGF-1 have been
linked with an increased risk of breast and prostate cancers. The vegans
also had higher Vitamin D levels, less body fat, and athough they had
a lower bone mass, their bones were strong, with a decreased risk of fracture.
Below are eight reasons to lower your intake or eliminate dairy from your
diet:
1. Osteoporosis: Studies have found no protective effect
of dairy calcium on bone health. In fact, dairy products were associated
with a higher fracture risk. According to Physicians Committee for Responsible
Medicine (PCRM), “You can decrease your risk of osteoporosis by
reducing sodium and animal protein intake in the diet, increasing intake
of fruits and vegetables, exercising, and ensuring adequate calcium intake
from plant foods such as leafy green vegetables and beans, as well as
calcium-fortified products such as breakfast cereals and juices.”
2. Cardiovascular Disease: Dairy products contribute
significant amounts of cholesterol and fat to the diet; and diets high
in fat can increase the risk of chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular
disease. A low-fat vegan diet combined with exercise cannot only prevent
heart disease, but may even reverse it.
3. Cancer: Several cancers, including breast, ovarian,
and prostate have been linked to consumption of dairy products. Cow’s
milk contains lactose, which is broken down in the human body into another
sugar, galactose. Too much dairy consumption can exceed the human body’s
capacity to break down galactose, causing it to build up in the blood,
possibly affecting a woman’s ovaries and increasing the risk of
ovarian cancer.
4. Diabetes: Research has found that a specific dairy
protein sparks an auto-immune reaction, which is believed to be what destroys
the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas, leading to insulin-dependent
diabetes, or type 1/Childhood-onset.
5. Lactose Intolerance: According to the National Digestive
Diseases Information Clearinghouse, lactose intolerance affects between
30 and 50 million Americans. Caused by the absence of the enzymes necessary
for the digestion of milk sugar lactose, the symptoms include gas, bloating,
diarrhea, nausea, and cramps.
6. Vitamin D Toxicity: Samplings of milk have found significant
variation in the vitamin D content, sometimes containing up to 500% the
indicated level, while other samples had none at all. Too much vitamin
D can be toxic, and according to PCRM, it “may result in excess
calcium levels in the blood and urine, increased aluminum absorption in
the body, and calcium deposits in soft tissue.”
7. Contaminants: Because today’s dairy cows are
required to produce more milk than nature ever intended, cows are more
frequently affected by inflamed mammary glands, requiring the use of antibiotics
– traces of which are found in samples of milk and other dairy products.
8. Infant and Child Health Concerns: Food allergies,
colic, chronic constipation, and diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and
the formation of atherosclerotic plaques that can lead to heart disease
can all be related to dairy consumption. The American Academy of Pediatrics
recommends that infants below one year of age not be given whole cow’s
milk, and PCRM recommends eliminating dairy entirely from the diets of
infants, children and breast-feeding mothers.
Sources:
Dr.
McDougall: High protein diets
Dr.
McDougall: Osteoporosis
Diet
and Bone Health
Dr.
McDougall : Sickly Vegan
PCRM:
What's Wrong with Dairy Products?
Strong
Bones: Milk, It's not all it's cracked up to be
Plant
Diet May Not Be Bad for Bones
|
October
2005 
