Cambiati Myth Busters! Dairy & Calcium, Cereal & Milk, and more…
MYTH: You Can’t Get Enough Calcium Without Dairy
We know what you’re thinking. “But where will I get my calcium then?” We get this question a lot.
If there were vital nutrients we needed that only came from milk – it wouldn’t come from a species totally unrelated to our own, would it? That makes no sense. You may have heard it explained this way: “milk is the perfect food…for baby cows.” And it’s a good question since the dairy industry does a great job of brainwashing us to believe cow’s milk is some sort of superfood. Sorry (we’re not sorry) – it’s not.
Moooooooo……
Do you see animals nursing other species? It sounds crazy when we think about it that way, doesn’t it?
Here are the best sources of calcium instead: dark leafy greens (like kale, collards and mustard & turnip greens). Did you know the calcium in dark leafy greens is absorbed at double the rate of calcium from dairy? (About 60% from leafy greens compared to 30% from dairy.)
Other great sources: beans, nuts and seeds, and fortified non-dairy milks (remember – look for unsweetened!). To fill in the gaps or if your calcium requirements are hard to meet through diet alone and you need a Calcium supplement? Here’s a great one.
More reasons to reconsider your relationship with dairy?
Gas and bloating, allergies and mucus overproduction, acne, asthma, eczema, inflammation, even more serious things like kidney stones or cancers, especially those of the reproductive systems) can all be linked to dairy. Not pretty.
Many experts estimate that 70% or more of our population are dairy intolerant!
Still not convinced? Here’s another mind-blowing factoid: countries with the highest intake of calcium, dairy and animal protein have the highest rates of osteoporosis. In fact, most studies out there find little or no evidence that milk or other dairy products benefit bone health. Conclusion? Milk’s not doing such a great job of keeping our bones strong. Reason being there’s more to bone health than simply loading up on calcium alone. It needs other nutrients (like Vitamin D and Magnesium) to be efficiently absorbed.
Want to learn more about dairy and our health? Don’t just take our word for it. Check out this comprehensive study for more.
BUSTED! “Orange juice, cereal and skim milk is the perfect breakfast.”
“Juice” might sound healthy – but can contain as much sugar as a soda. Couple that with more empty carbs and you’ve got yourself a breakfast with too little of the good stuff (fiber, protein, fat) to get you through the day.
What’s so wrong with juice? It’s basically all the sugar in fruit without the fiber, which acts to regulate the digestion and absorption of sugar. An 8 oz glass of apple juice contains the same amount of sugar in 3-4 apples, but with none of the fiber. When was the last time you ate 4 apples at one sitting? Not only that, but eating 4 apples would certainly take longer than the amount of time most folks take to drink a glass of juice, so that sugar rush occurs much faster (and much more intensely).
Ditto on the commercially made green smoothies, like Naked Juice Green Monster. Drink the whole 15 oz bottle and you’ll consume a whopping 58g sugar. There are about 4g of sugar in one teaspoon, so that’s like emptying 15 packets of sugar into a beverage before drinking it (yikes!). What else packs 58g of sugar in one bottle? Mountain Dew!
It’s not just that we’re obsessed with PaleoGreens – it’s that we don’t want you drinking the sugar equivalent to a Mountain Dew and thinking you’re doing yourself any kind of favor.
Takeaway: Eat the whole fruit. Skip the juice.
Moving on to the cereal with skim milk… just more empty carbs. Basically same problem as the juice.
Chemically processing foods (like dairy) and removing the fat makes them much higher in sugar. Don’t believe us? Go to your fridge right now and check out the nutrition label on your jug of skim milk. 1 cup typically clocks in at around 12g sugar. Yes, you also get a nice dose of protein (about 8g) but no fat.
Eating fat doesn’t make you fat. Dietary fat is actually our longest lasting macronutrient, so consuming a prudent portion (like Goldilocks – not too much, not too little – juuuust right) at each meal is actually crucial for balancing hunger and even burning fat and losing weight.
Step away from the processed fat-free foods. If you must have dairy in your life, swap the non-fat for the full fat version (and always organic!) and be amazed at how much more satisfied you are after those meals. If you’re dairy-free, make sure to get your almond milk (or flax, or quinoa, or whatever you fancy) unsweetened.
Our favorite easy breakfasts instead? A protein shake with PaleoMeal DF. Easy. And not only does it taste totally delish, but eating the right breakfast means you’re also setting yourself up for balanced blood sugar, no cravings, and making better food choices all day. Score!
Have you tried this yummy Strawberry Lemon Basil shake? It’s awesome! (and oh, so seasonal!)
Find out if working with us is the right step for you.
We think you need to get to know us and we want to know all about you! Before you commit to anything a nutritionist will get to know you in a private session.
We will work to uncover the hidden reasons for your struggles and will create a plan to solve them.
Let’s get you feeling better ASAP! Book your breakthrough session now.
