Do you do dairy?
Friday, January 29th 2010 @ 4:06 PM
Whether or not human beings should regularly drink cow's milk and eat dairy foods must be one of the most discussed, controversial, and opinionated areas of nutrition. Health professionals from all areas, countries and cultures (including Doctors, Nutritionists, and Dieticians) are divided as to whether milk is a suitable food for humans.
The Dairy Industry’s marketing campaigns on both sides of the Atlantic convince us that milk, cheese and yogurt should be consumed each day as part of a healthy diet, and to ensure we get enough calcium. Government guidelines and recommendations also state the benefits of daily inclusion of milk and dairy foods in the diet, especially for children. At the other end of the spectrum, independent organisations (NGOs), many health professionals, and scientists are not in favour of milk as a staple food, or as a good source of calcium. So what are we to think and what are we to do? Well, milk doesn’t need to be inherently good or bad, or necessary for that matter. It’s milk, and just like any other food, it is a small part of many people’s overall diet. Milk suits some, and most certainly does not suit others. Milk therefore, should be consumed only if an individual tolerates it, and thrives on it. For the many dairy intolerant, lactose intolerant and dairy “allergic” people, milk and dairy foods are simply not suitable sources of nourishment, and other foods need to be included in the diet. On the subject of calcium, milk and dairy do contain calcium, yet dairy-free diets need in no way be, or indeed are deficient in calcium. There’s an array of other foods that are excellent sources of calcium, and include fresh vegetables (especially greens, brocolli and cabbage), fresh fruits, beans and pulses, raw nuts, seeds, and seaweed/sea vegetables.
Lactose intolerance…
There is a large number of the world’s population (especially Asians and those of Afro-Caribbean decent) who are lactose intolerant – in other words they fail to produce sufficient amounts of the enzyme lactase to fully digest the lactose (a disaccharide sugar) found in milk. We, as humans are thought to stop producing sufficient lactase between the ages of 2 and 5 years… as we are weaned off breast milk. Once again, this is certainly the case with some people, but not everyone. Many dairy foods are lactose-free, such as hard cheeses and yogurt so lactose-intolerant folk can (if they choose), still consume some dairy foods. Certain incidences that “disrupt” or disturb gut function (e.g. food poisoning, gut infections, yeast infections etc.) may temporarily affect our ability to digest lactose, and drinking milk in these situations may not be the best thing to do. In addition, the lactose is a readily available “sugar” that can feed the unwanted bugs, so milk avoidance might be a wise strategy in these instances.
Animal welfare…
If we are to drink milk, it surely should come from a healthily reared herd; from cow’s that have been fed properly, and haven’t been pumped full of growth hormones and antibiotics. An excellent article appeared in the UK Times some months ago, by Jane Wheatley, highlighting the need for us all to buy organic milk, to save the dairy industry from total collapse. According to the author, almost 1/3 of the UK’s population’s milk currently comes from cow’s that never see grass. These animals are fed on concentrates and cooped up in yards to conserve energy for a higher yield. So “bargain-priced” milk may not be a bargain when it comes to your health.
Calcium from our food…
Some of the best food sources of calcium (& other minerals too) are infact plant foods. For example, we can obtain plenty of calcium and minerals from kale, leafy greens, legumes such as chickpeas, sunflower and sesame seeds (and Tahini spread), and flaxseeds, broccoli and cabbage. It is important to understand that to build and maintain healthy bones, we need an array of nutrients, and not just calcium. (For For detailed information on the 20 key nutrients and amounts necessary for bone health, visit Dr Susan Brown at Better Bones).
Calcium from inorganic or “isolated” forms (e.g. many supplements and meal replacement powders) is not efficiently utilised by the body. The gut can't readily digest many forms of calcium, and if it does, the bones can't take up calcium on its own. We need a balance of other minerals, and vitamins, and hormones such as Vitamin D (yes "D" is a hormone") in order to create or make strong, healthy bones. Magnesium is essential to fully utilise calcium in the body, and calcium is best eaten with a good balance of magnesium. Green leafy vegetables, seeds, nuts and sea vegetables give us the ideal balance of minerals, necessary for bone health (i.e. calcium, magnesium and boron), and along with sufficient sunshine and vitamin D, we have a perfect plate of “bone food”. Interestingly cows do not drink milk for healthy bones - OR to make muscle. They eat green grass! Plant-based forms of calcium are also highly alkalising, whereas milk is more acidic. Bone health is more "responsive" to acid-alkaline status of the body and blood, than it is too “calcium” per say. A diet that is perpetually over-acidic will cause calcium to leach out of the bones in order to re-alkalise the body. This increases calcium excretion and a "net loss" of calcium is the result.
Here are some common foods that exceed milk (gram for gram) with their calcium content.
* Raw almonds
* Sesame seed butter/tahini
* Flaxseeds/linseeds
* Chickpeas
* Kidney beans, white beans, navy beans
* Dried figs
* Leafy greens - collard greens, turnip greens
* French beans
* Brazil nuts
* Seaweed and sea vegetables
* Mung beans
* Fresh parsley
Canned salmon, sardines, anchovies, whitebait/sprats are all great fish sources of calcium.
Daily Tips:
* Add ground flaxseeds, hemp seeds or sesame seeds to your morning muesli, or breakfast, porridge or smoothie for calcium.
* Try adding a teaspoon each of tahini and honey to plain yogurt for a delicious dessert.
* Keep your meals "GREEN" - choose daily portions of kale, spinach, watercress, cabbage, and broccoli
* If you want or need to take a daily “Multi” opt for a daily green superfoods supplement.