Calcium is essential for a strong skeletal frame. This mineral also helps contract the muscles, helps with the transmission of nerve impulses, and aids in blood clotting. Most people assume that consuming dairy is the most efficient way to get calcium. This is not true; a
dairy-free diet can provide you with all the calcium you need for a healthy body.
Ninety-nine percent of the calcium in your body is stored in your bones and teeth.
When the body does not get enough of this mineral, it pulls what it needs from your bones and leaves them weak and porous. When your bones are weak, it puts you at risk for fractures and osteoporosis.
Why Go Dairy Free?
Not everyone is comfortable with the idea of going dairy-free. However, there are a lot of reasons you should consider making the move. When dairy cows are raised, they are pumped with growth hormones to help them produce more milk than they are comfortably able to make.
When cows are forced to make more milk, it puts them at risk for a potentially fatal bacterial infection known as mastitis. This disease causes inflammation of the udder tissues, swelling, burning and pain. Mastitis is one of the most common diseases among dairy cows in the United States.
Since the mechanical milking machines used to milk cows arent capable of recognizing the signs of mastitis, the puss and blood from the infected udders often gets into the milk supply. Mastitis decreases the casein in milk, which contributes to lowered calcium levels.
The overall quality of milk produced by cows with mastitis is low-grade and not worth drinking. When the cows get this bacterial infection, they are treated with antibiotics. These antibiotics, along with the growth hormones pass to the milk supply and reduce the quality even further.
When milk is pasteurized, it is put through a heat process to make it safe to drink. During this process, the temperatures dont get hot enough to kill a lot of the harmful bacteria that can cause illnesses in humans. Instead, pasteurization kills off good bacteria, as well as the intrinsic germicidal properties and enzymes that are necessary for proper digestion.
The body cannot assimilate 50-percent of the calcium from pasteurized milk. This is believed to be among the reasons for lactose intolerance and the high instances of osteoporosis in the United States.
Sources of Calcium for a Dairy-Free Diet
It is recommended that adults get 1000mg of calcium per day. If you eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, nuts and fish, you can get all the calcium you need in your diet.
Here are some good sources of calcium:
cauliflower
broccoli
sardines with bones
cabbage
oranges
blueberries
kale
okra
butternut squash
sesame seeds
bok choy
turnip greens
almonds
hazelnuts
mulberries
grapefruit
pistachios
salmon
collard greens
Calcium from plant-based sources is absorbed better by the body than calcium from milk and other dairy sources.
Can I Get Calcium from Organic Milk?
Organic milk is better than conventional milk because the dairy cows used to produce the milk arent filled with antibiotics and growth hormones. However, organic milk goes through the pasteurization process just like conventional milk, so a lot of the calcium is not useable by the body.
Although dairy is the most popular source of calcium, its not the only way to get this mineral in your diet. If you eat a variety of vegetables, fruits, nuts and fish, you can follow a dairy-free diet and still get the calcium you need for a healthy body.
