Milk might NOT be good for you: Harvard scientist claims

Citing numerous other calcium-rich foods, Ludwig - who is also the director of the New Balance Foundation Obesity Prevention Center at Boston Children’s Hospital - argues that people with high-quality diets may be able to cut their consumption of milk in half, if not completely.
Citing numerous other calcium-rich foods, Ludwig - who is also the director of the New Balance Foundation Obesity Prevention Center at Boston Children’s Hospital - argues that people with high-quality diets may be able to cut their consumption of milk in half, if not completely.

Less is more: Some people might be better off drinking little to no milk, depending on their diet

‘On a gram for gram basis, cooked kale has more calcium than milk. Sardines, nuts, seeds, beans, green leafy vegetables are all sources of calcium,” wrote Ludwig.

For those who prefer their calcium in solid green form, one cup of cooked kale has 94 milligrams and a cup of cooked spinach has 245 milligrams of the bone-fortifying nutrient, according to the USDA. One cup of low-fat milk has 314 milligrams.

Greens: Kale is high in calcium compared to other foods, those who eat large amounts of it can cut milk consumption

Better: A cup of cooked spinach has almost as much calcium as a glass of milk, those who eat more and can drink less milk

With children usually not too keen on the greens, milk is probably still a safe bet, but leave out the chocolate and other flavors.

‘For a child or an adult – but especially a child - eating a poor quality diet, three cups a day of milk may be the most helpful thing,’ Ludwig wrote.
The rest of us can cut our milk consumption from three glasses of milk per day to between zero and three, depending on how much other calcium loaded food we eat, according to Ludwig.

Less is more: Some people might be better off drinking little to no milk, depending on their diet

‘On a gram for gram basis, cooked kale has more calcium than milk. Sardines, nuts, seeds, beans, green leafy vegetables are all sources of calcium,” wrote Ludwig.

For those who prefer their calcium in solid green form, one cup of cooked kale has 94 milligrams and a cup of cooked spinach has 245 milligrams of the bone-fortifying nutrient, according to the USDA. One cup of low-fat milk has 314 milligrams.

Greens: Kale is high in calcium compared to other foods, those who eat large amounts of it can cut milk consumption

Better: A cup of cooked spinach has almost as much calcium as a glass of milk, those who eat more and can drink less milk

With children usually not too keen on the greens, milk is probably still a safe bet, but leave out the chocolate and other flavors.

‘For a child or an adult – but especially a child - eating a poor quality diet, three cups a day of milk may be the most helpful thing,’ Ludwig wrote.
The rest of us can cut our milk consumption from three glasses of milk per day to between zero and three, depending on how much other calcium loaded food we eat, according to Ludwig.

Posted in: