Health And Fitness Herald Today: Cow-Free Calcium: 3 reasons greens are a better source of calcium than milk

Cow-Free Calcium: 3 reasons greens are a better source of calcium than milk
Remember these? “Milk – it does a body good” celebrity white-mustache campaign (still alive and kicking?) the hourglass-shaped glass of ‘drink your milk and get slim’ campaigns We’ve been sold a bill of goods by the Dairy Council for so long that these images have become embedded in our subculture. What these campaigns don’t tell [...]

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Image: aopsan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Remember these?

“Milk – it does a body good”
celebrity white-mustache campaign (still alive and kicking?)
the hourglass-shaped glass of ‘drink your milk and get slim’ campaigns

We’ve been sold a bill of goods by the Dairy Council for so long that these images have become embedded in our subculture.

What these campaigns don’t tell us is the baggage that comes along with the milk, the cheese, the ice cream. Lots of fat, cholesterol, and calories – without the fiber.

If you’ve been hesitant about ditching dairy because you are concerned about your need for calcium – or your friends are certain you will collapse into a pile of shattered bones if you aren’t having your 3 glasses of milk a day, then I’ve got great news. You can find calcium better delivered via plants.

Here’s how to get your calcium in a green outfit .

3 reasons greens are a better source of calcium than milk:

1) Calcium absorption from plants beats dairy, hands down.

You absorb a greater portion of the calcium found in a cup of kale than of that in a cup of cow’s milk. According to the book Whitewash by Joseph Keon, PhD, even though a glass of skim milk contains 302 mg of gross calcium, you can only absorb about 32% of it.

from Whitewash, by Joseph Keon PhD

2) Plants save you from the cholesterol, fat and growth hormone overload of dairy products

When you get your calcium from kale, chard, broccoli, bok choy or Brussels sprouts, you bypass the cholesterol and saturated fat found in cow’s milk.

Saturated fat and dietary cholesterol are recognized as contributors to heart disease, high blood pressure, and increased risk of stroke. And kale and broccoli, unlike cow’s milk, are not treated with potentially dangerous hormones such as rBGH (recombinant bovine growth hormone), a genetically-engineered hormone chemical injected into cows to boost their milk yields.

3) By getting your calcium from plants you bypass the dangerous consequences of protein overload from dairy.

Cow’s milk also has three times the protein found in human mother’s milk. Sounds good, right? After all, if a little is good, then more must be better.

Not so fast.

For humans, at the time of our most rapid growth in infancy, we need only 5 percent of our calories as protein in contrast to cows who grow at a much more rapid pace. Cows are genetically programmed to double their birth weight in 47 days. This is in contrast to humans who double birth weight in a much longer 180 days.

Next time you’re in the market, grab the kale, the collards, the greens, and get your calcium without the side effects.

And if you are looking for more reasons to ditch dairy, click here to watch the Perils of Dairy video.

References:
Dairy Products and False Promises, April 2003, Dr. John McDougall
When Friends Ask, Where Do You Get Your Protein? Dr. John McDougall, April 2007
Plant-based nutrition and elite athletes, T. Colin Campbell Foundation, 2009

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Lani Muelrath, M.A. is Vegan Mainstream’s Health & Fitness Expert. Watch for regular articles from Lani on how to be a strong, healthy, fit vegan. Articles, videos, and more from Lani at www.lanimuelrath.com.

Lani is also “The Plant-Strong Fitness Expert” of www.lanimuelrath.com and creator of Fit Quickies™., The Body Transformation Formula, and Boot Camp Mind. She has a Master’s Degree in Physical Education and over 30 years of experience as a teacher, coach, and trainer. She has received awards for her instruction, created and starred in her own CBS TV Show, and her expertise in the area of health and fitness is called upon by examiner.com, Dr. John McDougall’s Health and Medical Center, Dr. Neal Barnard’s 21-Day Vegan Kickstart program, the CHIP Program, and Engine 2 Diet.com. She is Certified in Plant-Based Nutrition Certification through Cornell University.