Sage Meanderings: Need Calcium? A Dairy-Free Diet Can Deliver

October 10, 2011

Need Calcium? A Dairy-Free Diet Can Deliver

: Did You Know that Kale Has More Calcium than Pasteurized Milk? And Kale with Cranberries and Pine Nuts is Yummy!

I was sitting here the other day thinking about that old '80s dairy commercial. You know the one with the tagline that says, "Milk Does a Body Good." The slogan is catchy and unforgettable, but the claims are a bit twisted. Believe it or not, a dairy-free diet will do your body much better than one that contains milk.

From growth hormones, to antibiotics, to pasteurization, to homogenization – there are so many things wrong with the milk nowadays. I could go on for hours about the damage drinking milk can do to your health. This is why I advise people to stay away from the stuff.

The Truth About Dairy and Calcium

I know exactly what you're thinking. "If I follow a dairy-free diet, how will I get enough calcium to keep my bones from crumbling out from under me?"

The answer is quite simple. Load your plate with veggies, and make your mamma proud by actually eating them. People think I'm nuts when I tell them veggies are a much better source of calcium than dairy. After all, the "big-wigs" who can afford multimillion dollar dairy campaigns say otherwise – and who am I to challenge them?

It's like this: I've always given it to you straight, and I'm not about to hold back now. Contrary to what you were taught, milk does not hold the monopoly on calcium. I repeat. Milk does NOT hold the monopoly on calcium. In fact, milk is not even an adequate source of calcium.

By the time manufacturers finish pasteurizing, homogenizing, enriching, fluffing, stuffing and whatever else they do to prepare milk for the marketplace, a lot of the calcium is unusable by the body. This could be one of the reasons why osteoporosis is on the rise. I won't even get started on the other ailments drinking milk can cause.

Veggies That Offer Calcium

Veggies that contain calcium are abundant – so there are bound to be some you can't get enough of. All green leafy vegetables are rich in calcium. Some other veggies that contain this nutrient include cauliflower, green beans, onions, okra, chickpeas, black beans and avocados. This is just a short list. There are plenty of other calcium-rich vegetables out there.

Here's a plus. Veggies are naturally low in calories. If you really want to see that fat fade into oblivion, replace the dairy in your diet with some of the veggies listed above. FYI, Acid-forming foods like soda, sugar, coffee and artificial sweeteners rob your body of calcium. Avoiding these foods will make more calcium available for your bones.

What About Organic Milk?

I don't advocate drinking milk. However, if you have to have it, stick with "certified" organic. The standards for producing organic milk are more stringent than the rules for producing conventional milk. Organic farmers are required by law to raise their dairy cows using all natural methods. This makes organic milk a little better to drink (I didn't say it was healthy).

The problem with organic milk is that it is processed the same way as conventional milk. This means, your body still won't be able to digest a large portion of the calcium. However, when you opt for organic milk instead of regular milk, your liver won't have to filter out the antibiotics and growth hormones used to raise conventional dairy cows.

Don't spend another day in the dark about nutrition and watch this video to see why you can live a happy and healthy life with a dairy free diet. Let The Diet Solution Program arm you with the information you need for good health.