For as long as I can remember, I was told that I need calcium to build strong bones and prevent osteoporosis. I grew up drinking milk with breakfast and dinner and learned all about the importance of dairy in my college curriculum. I was convinced that getting calcium and vitamin D from dairy products was a great way to keep my body healthy. After all, who doesn’t “got milk?”
Ain't he cute?
Recently however, I read an interesting book entitled, “The China Study,” for continuing education credits and I have begun to question the basis for this NEED of calcium and vitamin D from dairy products in general. Are we being fooled by the dairy industry?
There is no doubt that our bodies need calcium and vitamin D, these two nutrients work together to bring optimal bone health. There is also consistent evidence which demonstrates the benefit of vitamin D in the prevention of many diseases. There has been so much hype about vitamin D lately that you can now get up to 5000 IU per serving of vitamin D in supplements at Walmart and sales reached $430 million in the 2008-2009 year, according to the Nutrition Business Journal.
However, instead of focusing on how much we can supplement, perhaps we should start by taking a second glance at our diet. Vitamin D is a nutrient that the body can make on its own with just 15-30 minutes of natural sunlight every 1-2 days. We can also get vitamin D from the foods we eat. The vitamin D we accumulate from food or sunlight is made in to an active form of D that is so powerful it can not possibly be made in to supplement form. The active form of vitamin D brings many benefits to the body, including cancer, osteoporosis, and autoimmune disease prevention.
If you want this active form of vitamin D to take effect from the food and sunlight we acquire, we need to be eating the right kind of foods!! According to Dr. T. Colin Campbell, author of The China Study, when we eat a diet that is high in animal proteins (meat, dairy, eggs, etc), it has a tendency to block the production of this supercharged vitamin D, leaving us with low levels in our blood. Not to mention, if we get too much calcium, from supplements, dairy, and other fortified foods, it can actually create an environment in our bodies where the powerful form of vitamin D is not able to function.
Americans consume more cows’ milk and other dairy products per person than most populations in the world and yet a recent study showed that American women over the age of fifty have one of the highest rates of fracture. How can this be if the American public is constantly consuming a diet rich in calcium and vitamin D from dairy products?
In 1992, researchers at Yale University School of Medicine found that a 70% fracture rate was attributable to the consumption of animal protein. Researchers explain that animal protein raises the acid load in the body, causing our blood and tissues to become more acidic. Our bodies tend to reject this acidic environment. We just don’t like it and so we try to fight the acid by neutralizing it. In order to neutralize the acid, our bodies draw calcium from the bones to act as a base that will make the body more alkaline. Persistent calcium loss to protect against an acidic environment, brought on by a diet high in animal protein, causes bone loss and therefore greater risk for fracture (The China Study p 205 paragraph 2).
A study published in 2000 from the Department of Medicine at the University of California compared the ratio of vegetable to animal protein consumption and the rate of bone fractures in 33 different countries. A near disappearance of bone fracture was found in those where the consumption of vegetable protein was much higher than the consumption of animal protein. (The China Study p 206 paragraph 3).
Contrary to what is commonly believed, milk and other dairy products (cheese, yogurt, butter, etc), are actually contributing to the problem of bone loss, because these foods are high in the same animal protein that is blocking vitamin D’s production!! So why does the dairy industry, well aware of the research, continue to promote dairy as a way to meet your calcium needs? To be frank, it is all about the dollar and the dairy industry is very powerful and persuasive over our government.
The super powered form of vitamin D is CRUCIAL to extremely important functions in our bodies. Without its production, our internal environment becomes a breeding ground for diseases like osteoporosis, cancers, and autoimmune diseases because it works in conjunction with other nutrients, like calcium, to bring you optimal health.
Without dairy, how are you going to meet your calcium and vitamin D needs? According to Dr. T. Colin Campbell, to help minimize risk for osteoporosis:
- Stay physically active with weight bearing exercises and as much movement throughout each day as possible; take the stairs, practice yoga, stretch your limbs, go for walk or jog, or go for a swim.
- Avoid animal foods, including dairy, as much as possible, but consume a wide variety of whole plant foods on a daily basis. Beans and leafy greens are an example of plants foods that contain calcium! Eat a diet rich in real, whole plant foods!!
- Avoid highly processed foods. Rich in salt and refined carbohydrates, these foods bring little nutritional value to your diet and may also contribute to bone loss.
Question: Have you “got milk?” What are your thoughts on this topic? Have you read The China Study?
[...] Eat healthy foods, mostly plants. Long before Michael Pollen, the Okinawans subsisted on a diet based around plants, consuming very little sugars, meat, dairy, and eggs. The average Okinawan consumes 7 servings of vegetables, 7 servings of whole grains, and 2-4 servings of fruits daily. Soy, green tea, and seaweed make up about 14% of their diet, fish is eaten at least 3 times weekly, and meat, poultry, and eggs make up less than 3% of their diet. Okinawans rarely consume dairy, eating lots of dark, leafy greens to get their calcium. They also have one of lowest rates of osteoporosis. Hmm: Should We Be Eating Dairy? [...]
This makes me laugh so much. I have always HATED drinking milk. Ever since I was little. My parents were worried about me and told me I need to drink a glass of milk everyday if I want to be strong. Sometimes I would force down milk just to please them, or I’d have milk with Oreos, since that’s the only way I liked milk. Haha, now this is just so funny to me. I guess I was doing the right thing all along, not drinking milk! I love drinking almond milk though, but I still hate cow’s milk.
[...] I choose to limit dairy, I highly recommend reading The China Study OR catching up on a few posts: Should We Be Eating Dairy, How To Get Your Calcium Without Dairy, Laury’s 6 Reasons To Avoid [...]
are we supposed to? no
should we? maybe not
is cheese yummy? oh god yes
this is what i’m working with currently =)
xoXOxo
This is a very interesting post. I haven’t read The China Study, but it’s on “my list.” I did read several articles that stated that dairy may do more harm than good…
I have been trying to get more calcium through leafy greens and beans. I do eat some dairy every day but am consuming a lot less than I used to. I also eat some meat, but not very much. I guess for me it’s about moderation, and, frankly, I enjoy dairy too much to give it up completely (at least for now).
[...] Balance and Peanut Butter Cups If you’ve tuned in the past couple days, you know I’ve been discussing dairy based on a perspective that is much different than the one most of us have been raised on since birth. If you need to get caught up, I highly recommend you check my first post in this series: Should We Be Eating Dairy? [...]
No moo juice for me! I love that you’re shining a light on this topic!
I think the dairy council preys on people who want an easy alternative to exercise or eating more plant-based foods. I mean, if you pit a bowl of spinach or an hour of exercise against a cup of fruity yogurt or ice cream, what do you think is going to win out? It may be just my opinion, but i think people have been misled into thinking that a glass of milk (even chocolate!) is a healthy choice just like a serving of salmon or kale.
I still eat a little dairy, as a complement to my other foods (Parmesan on my salad, etc.) but I eat it very sparingly, and I definitely do not try to increase my servings to ensure my health. I think it’s absurd. Common sense tells me that milk is for baby cows, and I will not be serving it to my son. (I also have to admit that I am suspicious of anything that has to be marketed to me by celebrities!)
[...] Should We Be Eating Dairy? [...]
This is quite a thought-provoking post! Osteoporosis runs rampant in my family, so I’ve always been aware of my calcium intake. If, in fact the China Study is correct, does this mean that we should be eliminating all animal proteins in our diet? You’ve piqued my interest, so I’m going to go do some reading!
Over the past month I’ve noticed that my stomach gets grumbly whenever I consume large amounts of dairy. For that reason I’ve been cutting back on Greek yogurt. I’ve noticed better digestion (which is ironic, as yogurt is supposed to AID in digestion!), but maybe it’s helping my bones as well.
I once read an article that a practicing vegan wrote about the negative affects of dairy/meat proteins. It has made me doubt the “benefits” of milk, and I can’t tell you how thankful I am to get an expert opinion! This post was sooo helpful!
Keep it up, Erin!
I’m reading The China Study right now now and you did a great job covering this topic! It will be very interesting to see what happens in the future with the dairy industry, ect…
Great info – I’ve never really thought about this too much!
Of all the milk ads, nice:)
I will never forget in 6th grade they brought someone in and told us we shouldn’t drink milk bc it’s not natural for mammals. I cried the whole way home.
To each their own, but I love me some dairy.
My hubby drinks about 2-4 gallons of milk a week! By himself! I think it’s gross and nuts but he loves it. Blech!
This post was great. I have not read The China Study, but did read a lot about dairy and it’s acidity levels in the book “Eat Right For Your Blood Type”. I personally think dairy is putting a damper on my overall well being and am weeding it out as much as I can, hopefully to be dairy-free by 2011. I also understand the Vitamin D deficiency growing up in the Adirondacks where we rarely see sunlight…but we try to take supplements to make up for it! Thanks for sharing.
Gosh i’ve heard so many references to the china study I really want to read it.
I watched a movie, I think called vegan gal or something like that, and the lady talked about how animal protein pulls calcium from our body like you explained. It’s very interesting stuff. You made it easy to understand so thanks Erin. I don’t eat too much dairy, just the occasionally yogurt and cheese just because my body can’t process the lactose very well.
Well that is very interesting! What do you think about soy and almond milk as replacements?
Great post! I’ve been reading a lot about this lately. I just ca’t wrap my head around the no dairy thing. I feel its possible, but its a mental thing with me.
I think this is really interesting. I don’t think that dairy and animal proteins should be avoided, however. Everything in moderation — 6-7 ounces of animal protein a day is not going to block the effects of vitamins in the body. It is certainly excessive for people to drink 20 ounce glasses of milk with every meal, though. I think the take home message should be that dairy is not the only source of vitamin D and calcium and that all sources should be considered in meeting needs.
This is all so interesting! I certainly think we can get the nutrients and vitamins from sources outside of dairy, but I know I still feel comfortable consuming dairy regularly as well.
Very interesting post, especially after all of the reports this week regarding vitamin D. By the way, I can’t take the Party of Five Matthew Fox seriously, only the Lost Matthew Fox.
This is so very interesting. My mom has osteoporosis, so I’ve been told to drink and eat as much dairy as possible. I am going to have to look into this more! I’m currently seeing a dietitian to help me put on some pounds, so I will have to ask her the next time we meet. I always know I can come here to be inspired and to learn. Thank you so much for sharing with me. Happy Hump Day!
I haven’t read the China Study but I really enjoyed this post. I love dairy too much to give it up by I do limit my meat intake and try not to overdue it on dairy anyway (cheese is my real downfall though!) Again great post – very timely with all the vitamin D talk recently!
I haven’t read the China Study but I’ve read many nutrition books that reference it. The China Study will probably be next on my list. About 6 months ago I decided to try one week without any dairy. I was already eating vegetarian but I wasn’t sure that I could live without my daily greek yogurt (I so loved it). I decided to try one week without any dairy. Well, after one week I felt so much better, energy-wise. I was amazed. I have been mostly dairy-free ever since. Once in a rare while I’ll have a little goat cheese on pasta or on my vegan pizza, but that’s very rare (although I still love the taste). Thanks for your post, it help reinforce my decision.
Thanks for posting this!
Have you read about this:
http://www.foodpolitics.com/2010/11/iom-vitamin-d-calcium-supplements-not-needed/
I love this post too! The China Study was something I discussed a lot in my Nutrition & Wellness Specialist course recently and I think it’s amazing what the results have shown, and how marketing has led so many people to believe that milk is essential (chocolate milk ads ring a bell!) The expert we learned from was talking about how by eating enough dark leafy greens, our bodies are receiving more than enough calcium to stay healthy. Personally, I do still eat meat and dairy, but have really limited the dairy in my diet lately to yogurt and eggs. Right now I’m not really prepared to cut animal products out of my diet, but I’ve incorporated a lot more variety when it comes to proteins. Before I’d stick to meats and eggs, but now I’ve added things like tofu, edamame, chickpeas and beans. It’s not perfect, but then again, no one is or should be, right?
Great post Erin, I love how you presented the study, and it’s definitely a topic worth discussing! 
I know that they say to limit your amount of dairy for this reason (among others). But I’m not personnally very knowledgeable on the subject. I have, however, cut back on the amount of dairy I use to see if it makes a difference (mostly overall energy levels).
So far I haven’t noticed a difference either way…
LOVE this post. The China Study is like my bible. I already told you a lot of how I felt about this via email, but it’s so true that dairy may actually be the bad guy when it comes to optimal health! I believe in good ole’ sunlight for Vitamin D, and if you have a long, dark winter or live in a place where the sun doesn’t shine too often then you should supplement. Diet first though! Most people have such a warped perception of what is healthy anymore, there is so much information out there….it doesn’t help when the government has an agenda when putting out this information to us (aka–money, politics). We all have to be advocated for our own health and educate ourselves! I am not yet 100% dairy free…only because it is in everything and it’s hard to avoid it at times. However, I do not “try” to eat it regularly, in moderation it is fine, but we have had it shoved down our throats…literally….that it is causing allergies and other health problems in SO many people!