The dairy industry has garnered a windfall from it's advertising campaign with it's widely known "Milk. It does a body good" slogan. Does milk do a body good? Evidence that milk is only intended for unweaned creatures, including humans, has been mounting for years. With all the television and print commercials along with huge government subsidies you wouldn't know it. Milk, without doubt, has issues as it relates to the human body. We have been told to drink milk for its nutrient packed goodness especially as it pertains to calcium but a closer look is needed to assist in making an informed decision.
The calcium content of milk as long been the trumpet sounded by the dairy industry as to why we should consume their products. We, the consumer, have obediently danced to the sound of their music in order to sustain growth, especially in children, and maintain strong, healthy bones. Rarely, if ever, are the biological mechanisms of calcium absorption discussed. For calcium to be absorbed it must be found in a 2:1 ratio with magnesium. That is to say for every 2 parts of calcium consumed there must be at least 1 part of magnesium present to make the calcium available for use in the body. Milk is calcium rich but magnesium poor. In fact the calcium/magnesium ratio in milk is 10:1! That makes the excess calcium in milk unavailable to the body. Why, do you ask? Calcium from milk must be converted into a usable form by magnesium which also helps to solidify calcium into bone. A person would have to take a magnesium supplement with milk to absorb all the calcium or risk creating a magnesium imbalance in the rest of the body as magnesium is diverted from other functions to attend to the excess calcium floating around. Consuming cheese for its calcium content is even worse when you consider the calcium/magnesium ratio is 28:1. A study involving 120,000 U.S. women printed in the American Journal of Public Health, 1997 had some startling results. The 12 year study found that women who consumed 2 or more glasses of milk per day had a 45% higher risk of hip fractures and 5% increase in forearm fractures than women who drank less. The study director, Diane Feskanich, advises not to rely on milk for prevention of osteoporosis. Good sources of calcium and magnesium can be found in dark green leafy vegetables, almonds and figs.
Next week the discussion will focus on a seldom discussed but udderly (cheesy pun...wow a pun in a pun!) important hormone called insulin-like growth factor or IGF for short.
Showing posts with label Calcium. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Calcium. Show all posts
Monday, December 13, 2010
Sunday, November 21, 2010
The Protein Fallacy and How Best to Utilize Protein in Your Diet
Is there a such thing as too much protein? If you ask most people the answers would range from "I don't know" to "no". The reason for this is because of how protein is presented to us in our everyday lives. There are many products and diet trends that emphasis protein pushed through various mediums relentlessly. So, for the sake of clarity let's take a closer look at protein.
Increased Acidity
Protein is comprised of 25 amino acids which are the building blocks of the body. Protein also serves as an important transporter of materials and is used in the production of antibodies, enzymes and hormones. Protein, in other words, is very important to the body but over-consumption can have detrimental effects on the body. All protein metabolizing increases blood acidity. Increased blood acidity from protein is generally not a problem when it is consumed moderately. When consumed in excess the uric acid produced is high enough to lead to inflammation. If you are already predisposed to pain the increased acidity will only exacerbate it. In addition to increased inflammation and pain, higher blood acidity must be balanced by the body (since the body requires blood to be slightly alkaline for proper functioning). The two ways this is accomplished is through sodium and calcium. Once sodium stores are consumed the body removes calcium from the bones in order to bring blood pH to proper levels. Considering the average mineral and vitamin deficient diets of today the stores of sodium and calcium are depleted quickly. Overtime, bone calcium that has been depleted and not replaced leads to the condition of osteoporosis.
Digestion
Protein, especially animal protein, is notoriously difficult to digest. The primary cause of this difficulty is based on our nutrient deficient diets. Without the proper amount of B Vitamins and Zinc the body is heavily taxed to breakdown proteins its amino acid components and utilize them into efficiently.
Building Muscle
If you have been to a gym or health food store lately you undoubtedly saw many protein products most of which is aimed at people who want to build muscle. You know the ones in huge containers just waiting for pre and post workout consumption. Athletes and body builders have chased protein dreams of greatness mostly unaware of basic biological facts. Consider this point as illustrated in "The New Optimum Nutrition Bible": The body requires less than 2 lbs. of protein per year to gain 9 lbs. of muscle (muscle is approximately 22% protein). That averages to about 2.5 g of protein per day. You can get that much protein from just a few almonds. The inability to build muscle is seldom due to a lack of protein. Most often the lack of essential vitamins and minerals such as B3, B6 and Zinc are to blame.
How Much Protein
The recommended amount of protein consumption is approximately 15% of total calories consumed during the day. That's about 35 g for most people. Another point to consider is the quality of the protein. Quality proteins are more easily digested and assimilated into the body. Typically, protein of higher quality can be found in vegetables, nuts, and legumes. Animal products are not an ideal source of protein due to how taxing uptake can be as mentioned earlier.
Final Thought
The American (and Western) diet is heavily meat oriented. Very often most people exceed the recommended amount of protein on the daily basis. It's no wonder acidosis is becoming more prevalent with each passing day. Have you seen the commercials for a new drug called Uloric? Uloric is a drug a person can take to assist in ridding the body of uric acid which can often result in gout, a painful type of arthritis, and other conditions. It's just one more pill to correct what a well thought out meal plan could help avoid.
Increased Acidity
Protein is comprised of 25 amino acids which are the building blocks of the body. Protein also serves as an important transporter of materials and is used in the production of antibodies, enzymes and hormones. Protein, in other words, is very important to the body but over-consumption can have detrimental effects on the body. All protein metabolizing increases blood acidity. Increased blood acidity from protein is generally not a problem when it is consumed moderately. When consumed in excess the uric acid produced is high enough to lead to inflammation. If you are already predisposed to pain the increased acidity will only exacerbate it. In addition to increased inflammation and pain, higher blood acidity must be balanced by the body (since the body requires blood to be slightly alkaline for proper functioning). The two ways this is accomplished is through sodium and calcium. Once sodium stores are consumed the body removes calcium from the bones in order to bring blood pH to proper levels. Considering the average mineral and vitamin deficient diets of today the stores of sodium and calcium are depleted quickly. Overtime, bone calcium that has been depleted and not replaced leads to the condition of osteoporosis.
Digestion
Protein, especially animal protein, is notoriously difficult to digest. The primary cause of this difficulty is based on our nutrient deficient diets. Without the proper amount of B Vitamins and Zinc the body is heavily taxed to breakdown proteins its amino acid components and utilize them into efficiently.
Building Muscle
If you have been to a gym or health food store lately you undoubtedly saw many protein products most of which is aimed at people who want to build muscle. You know the ones in huge containers just waiting for pre and post workout consumption. Athletes and body builders have chased protein dreams of greatness mostly unaware of basic biological facts. Consider this point as illustrated in "The New Optimum Nutrition Bible": The body requires less than 2 lbs. of protein per year to gain 9 lbs. of muscle (muscle is approximately 22% protein). That averages to about 2.5 g of protein per day. You can get that much protein from just a few almonds. The inability to build muscle is seldom due to a lack of protein. Most often the lack of essential vitamins and minerals such as B3, B6 and Zinc are to blame.
How Much Protein
The recommended amount of protein consumption is approximately 15% of total calories consumed during the day. That's about 35 g for most people. Another point to consider is the quality of the protein. Quality proteins are more easily digested and assimilated into the body. Typically, protein of higher quality can be found in vegetables, nuts, and legumes. Animal products are not an ideal source of protein due to how taxing uptake can be as mentioned earlier.
Final Thought
The American (and Western) diet is heavily meat oriented. Very often most people exceed the recommended amount of protein on the daily basis. It's no wonder acidosis is becoming more prevalent with each passing day. Have you seen the commercials for a new drug called Uloric? Uloric is a drug a person can take to assist in ridding the body of uric acid which can often result in gout, a painful type of arthritis, and other conditions. It's just one more pill to correct what a well thought out meal plan could help avoid.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)