[jillybean720]

Am I the only one who's read about how normal (processed cow's) milk is not good because it actually needs calcium in order to be metabolized, so even though it contains calcium, it actually takes MORE calcium from your body than it provides.

This is why I am cutting down on regular milk. I've discovered unsweetened almond milk, which is a fabulous substitute for me (tried unsweetened soy milk--took maybe 2 sips and dumped the rest--YUCK!).

If someone could give me a website where I Could look up some legitimate studies, I would love to. I had a site I used to search all the time, but, for the life of me, I can't think of it right now--must be my brain can't function before 6am

[DaisyNicole]

Jilly... you could always look up articles here: http://www.notmilk.com/

[JayEll]

Jill, I don't think that can be true, because children don't lose all their bones if they are fed cow's milk. However, it has been shown, allegedly, that digesting animal protein requires some calcium, so it could be that folks are saying the animal protein in milk removes calcium.

Some sources say that vegetables are the best source of calcium--for example, if you want to eat arugula, water cress, and turnip greens, you'll be doing great. Arugula, 1300 mg Ca, water cress, 800 mg, turnip greens, 650 mg. But the amounts of calcium above are given for 100 calories of these greens, and 100 calories of arugula is a LOT of arugula... which I personally don't like.

The best thing is to have a balanced diet that includes plenty of green leafy vegetables, evidently.

Jay

[kaplods]

I've heard alot of anti-milk rhetoric, but most of what I read has been obviously urban legend (unverifiable information, or verifiably proven wrong such as bogus experts - and fictional or distorted reports of research).

I'm open to properly sited research, but haven't seen much yet that has been very persuasive. I would agree that if calcium where leached from the body by milk, people such as my husband would have osteoporosis by now. He eats very little high-calcium vegetables and consumes extreme amounts of dairy. He has excellent bone-strength and bone-density (even though he has a hereditary degenerative joint condition which damages the cartilage in and around the joints, his bones themselves are in great shape).

Anectdotal evidence is worthless, because it doesn't matter how my husband's body processes calcium, but it seems to me that there is a lot more pro-milk research than anti-milk research. I know, I've heard all the "conspiriacy theories," but human beings are notoriously bad at keeping secrets, and the truth generally does come out - and from people who actually can be proven to exist, can back up their claims, and have verifiable credentials.

[CrazedLedZepFan]

I actually heard on the radio the supposably soy milk is not good for you because soy is not meant for human consumption. I don't know about that. I love milk though. It's my favorite beverage and people have been drinking it for hundreds of years (probably not as healthy as it was, with all those hormones they give the cows).

[LindseyLouWho]

Personally, until the milk comes with a warning label on it like cigarettes and alcohol or is banned in the EU, I'll keep drinking, although I do make sure that my milk comes from cows that haven't been given antibiotics or hormones, even though I believe the evidence on whether or not the hormones actually have any effect is questionable.

[jellydisney]

I feel like milk bashing is the new anti-carb. I have several friends who 100% buy into the "milk is bad" theories... BUT they never liked milk to begin with, so it all just seems very convenient if you ask me....

Whatever the "real" answer, drinking milk is nowhere near as bad for you as eating pizza, cheeseburgers, and french fries every day. Giving up milk is not going to be the magic pill.

[SouthLake]

All very interesting. Admittedly, I don't buy into the anti-milk party. I actually allow myself a glass a day that I don't count in my calories.

I've never heard that milk depletes calcium. But, I do know that the body requires Vitamin D to properly process and take in calcium. Some skim milk apparently doesn't have enough vitamin d to allow the body to absorb the calcium in it, and so there's no advantage to drinking it without some sort of added vitamin D.

The whole "it's not natural, we're the only animals that drink another animal's milk" thing is funny to me. Of course we're the only animals to drink another animal's milk- we're the only animals that have domesticated other animals! (Though there is a species of ant that has domesticated aphids... but that's totally different).

For the most part, all of the anti-milk rhetoric that I've heard is rhetoric. I've heard very little, if any, research to back up the claim that milk is bad for you. If anything, I've seen several studies to support that the combination of calcium and vitamin k (with, of course, vitamin d to support the absorbtion of calcium) are beneficial to weight loss.

[Beach Patrol]

Ok, I'll "weigh in" here (yeah, I know, bad pun!) I think the truth is that milk (cow's milk, goat's milk, etc.) is NOT bad for humans - maybe for some - but certainly not all. Remember when the "egg" got it's bad reputation? Now they're saying eggs are GOOD again. And you all know the old saying: "Smart is believing only half of what you hear/read. Brilliant is knowing which half to believe."

I drink skim milk. I can't stand the way whole milk feels in my mouth. It's just too.... thick, or something. I usually have a glass or maybe two every other day. I also eat cheese, and on occasion, yogurt.

I have noticed that if I have too much milk product at one sitting, my stomach gets REALLY upset.

Also, isn't it true that in order for your body to digest & assimilate the calcium, you need 6 or 8x as much magnesium? Or something like that...

[JayEll]

No no! If you take that much magnesium, I guarantee you'll be running to the bathroom!

500 mg magnesium a day and 1000 mg calcium is plenty. Or check it out on the USDA website.

Jay

[Beach Patrol]

Originally Posted by JayEll

No no! If you take that much magnesium, I guarantee you'll be running to the bathroom!

500 mg magnesium a day and 1000 mg calcium is plenty. Or check it out on the USDA website.

Jay

No, No! LOL!!! I mean "weight loss wise". Something about the body doesn't assimilate calcium without magnesium, and products like milk has something like a 8 to 1 ratio of calcium to magnesium (or a 6 to 1 ratio.... can't remember which!) and that the body needs more magnesium in order for the calcium to do it's job.

Or... I could be explaining it wrong... sometimes I'm pretty sure that *I* read too much & don't know "which half to believe"!