got milk?

I will share some of my own thoughts about milk soon - but to start this topic, I will share a few key points from Harvard's website-article on milk.

It's good to give this topic a thought - because most of the world's population cannot digest lactose and don't consume any milk products. So actually it is more of a cultural belief than a dietary fact that milk & milk products should be consumed in high amounts.

 So if you got that Michelin-man belly all the time (bloated after meals & have-to-open-this-zipper-NOW-feelings), or suffer from stomach cramps or other problems with your digestion track - keep milk off your diet for one week (or go with minimum milk-product intake for a while), and watch what happens... You may be surprised - cause it can have a huge effect. 

So, I will share more of my own insights on milk later, but now, here's a part of the Harvard-article, which I recommend reading in it's whole length: 

"Calcium is important. But milk isn’t the only, or even best, source. 

It’s not a news flash that calcium is key for healthy bones. Getting enough calcium from childhood through adulthood helps build bones up and then helps slow the loss of bone as we age. It’s not clear, though, that we need as much calcium as is generally recommended, and it’s also not clear that dairy products are really the best source of calcium for most people.

While calcium and dairy can lower the risk of osteoporosis and colon cancer, high intake can increase the risk of prostate cancer and possibly ovarian cancer.

Plus, dairy products can be high in saturated fat as well as retinol (vitamin A), which at high levels can paradoxically weaken bones.

Good, non-dairy sources of calcium include collards, bok choy, fortified soy milk, baked beans, and supplements that contain both calcium and vitamin D (a better choice than taking calcium alone)"

 "1. Look beyond the dairy aisle. Limit milk and dairy foods to no more than one to two servings per day. More won’t necessarily do your bones any good—and less is fine, as long as you get enough calcium from other sources. Calcium-rich non-dairy foods include leafy green vegetables and broccoli, both of which are also great sources of vitamin K, another key nutrient for bone health. Beans and tofu can also supply calcium."

picture sources: 19thwardchicago.blogspot.com, lovelypackage.com