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June 17, 1997
"...should we worry about the small amount of skim milk we are using?"
"My kids hate soy milk, and ask me for regular milk."
NEXT WEEK: Weight-lifting for the elderly?
If you have a question or concern about healthy dietary
choices, send it to us in an e-mail message, and
we'll forward it to Dr. Attwood.
Does Milk Do A Body Good?
My mother just
fractured her hip, which was, according to her doctor,
caused by severe osteoporosis. She drank milk daily since
childhood and ate cheese with most meals. She also ate
ate meat daily, including beef, poultry, and fish. I'm
concerned about the prospects of my own family. We eat
very little meat or dairy products. We eat lots of fresh
vegetables and fruits. We don't drink milk as a beverage,
but do add skim milk to our breakfast cereals. I've heard
that the protein in milk can promote calcium loss.
So, should we worry about the small amount of skim milk we are using?
I share your concern
about osteoporosis. At my age, it seems that more and
more friends and acquaintances have brittle bones. Like
your mother, most of them consumed milk and other dairy
products -- as well as meat -- daily throughout their
lives. You are to be complimented on what appears to be
an excellent diet to protect your family from this
terrible malady in their later years. It's true that
excessive protein, especially from animal sources, in the
diet tends to promote calcium loss -- even as it is being
consumed in the form of dairy products. The acidification
of the blood by protein causes the kidneys to excrete
calcium.
A diet of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes supplies adequate calcium, without excessive protein. The thing to remember here is that vegetarians maintain their bone density without dairy products, and the disease is commonly found, like in your mother's case, among people who consume milk and dairy products throughout their lives. Since the overall protein intake in your family's diet is not excessive, I would not worry about any calcium-losing effect of the small amount of skim milk in the breakfast cereal.
Ideally, however, I like to avoid all animal protein. Your skim milk could be replaced by rice or soy milk substitutes.
My kids hate soy milk,
and ask me for regular milk. Any suggestions?
Rice milk is an
excellent alternative. Milk can also be made from nuts,
such as almonds. This is even more important now that we
are seeing lots of soy allergies.
Rice milk is available in most supermarkets and healthfood stores. I helped produce a video MOOOOOve Over Milk, which shows how to make almond milk at home with a blender.
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