After all, osteoporosis had confined my shrunken grandmother to bed — the bones of her spine slowly dissolving into dust. Who was I to question my mother’s wisdom? Like most women, my mother got her information from doctors and health organizations who for years have touted milk as the key to healthy bones. But is dairy really the best source of calcium? The question stirs emotions on both sides of the debate.
Dairy supporters revere milk as the perfect vehicle to transport calcium to bones. Those opposed argue that, among other things, proteins found in dairy products actually rob calcium from bone stores, making plant-based sources — and exercise — a better choice for healthy bones.
As a vegetarian, I’m frustrated by the mixed messages surrounding the question of dairy as the best source of calcium. In my quest to avoid sharing my grandmother’s fate, I’ve discovered that the issue is more about educating myself to make informed decisions than blindly swallowing anyone’s advice — even Mom’s. There’s much more to the story than Mom knew.
Milk: Does It Really Do a Body Good? It turns out that the relationship between the proteins in dairy products and the calcium in bones is a rocky one. First of all, calcium appears to be ultimately pulled from bones to escort digested animal protein from any source — not just dairy products — on its trek through the body.
