Dairy’s great calcium myth.

A good source of calcium in our diet is essential to maintaining strong and healthy bones – and calcium can be found in a range of plant-based, more animal-friendly sources!

Through clever marketing, the dairy industry convinced many of us that only by consuming lots of dairy products can we maintain healthy bones. Nutritionally speaking, this is completely untrue. Not only is dairy not the only source of calcium, some studies suggest that dairy and other animal products could possibly be associated with weakened bones.^[1]

Fortunately, there are plenty of plant-based sources of calcium!

Calcium is found in a wide variety of plant-based foods. Some of the best sources include:

• fortified soya drinks
• sesame seeds
• unhulled tahini
• white/brown bread
• fortified fruit juice
• dried figs
• broccoli
• green leafy vegetables
• molasses
• beans and pulses
• tofu
• soya mince.

It’s important to note that regular exercise is also essential to maintaining healthy bones, as is avoiding excessive salt, sugar, caffeine, and alcohol, which can cause calcium loss.

So when you next hear a dairy advertisement tell you that you need calcium for healthy bones, think about what they aren’t telling you. The evidence suggests that along with a healthy lifestyle, obtaining calcium from plant-based sources is a great way to maintain strong and healthy bones while also helping spare cows and their calves.

Learn more:

• Check out our dairy-free shopping list which covers everything from milk and butter to ice cream and baking.
• Learn more about calcium over at VegKit.com
• Order your FREE Veg Starter Kit, which has everything you need to enjoy more animal-friendly food!

References:

1. Calcium and Strong Bones, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine — http://www.pcrm.org/search/?cid=126