If I told you that milk was just as detrimental to your bones as soda, how would you respond? Would you tell me I was wrong, and conclude with the theory we’ve all been lead to believe: “Milk has calcium and builds strong bones.” Unfortunately, some new scientific research has proven this wrong. Don’t take anything to-come the wrong way, as I am just as shocked as you on this new idea, but hear me out. You’d be surprised at what I found out.

Can you imagine how detrimental this idea could be, if it got out to the mass media? If the doctors and scientists that have been researching these facts for years informed all of their clients? Meat and Milk are huge industries! The truth would cause another sink in our economy and a huge loss of jobs. So-long as the people remain in the dark, can our economy continue to flourish is how many of the owners of the top-notch industries believe.

At the bottom I will provide you with links to information regarding the studies I’ve found, and will allow you to come to your own conclusion(s) regarding this topic.

Growing up, I remember hearing that soda was bad for you; that it could lead to poor bone health/density and in some cases, Osteoporosis. On the flip side, however, Milk “does your body good” so that would be the most suitable replacement.

Before we go on, let’s think about this for a minute: Milk that’s meant to nourish the calves of bovines, is nutritious to humans?

THE BREAK DOWN OF SODA, AS CONSUMED BY THE BODY (link):

• In the first 10 minutes: 10 teaspoons of sugar hit your system. (100% of your recommended daily intake.) You don’t immediately vomit from the overwhelming sweetness because phosphoric acid cuts the flavor, allowing you to keep it down.

• 20 minutes: Your blood sugar spikes, causing an insulin burst. Your liver responds to this by turning any sugar it can get its hands on into fat. (And there’s plenty of that at this particular moment.)

• 40 minutes: Caffeine absorption is complete. Your pupils dilate; your blood pressure rises; as a response, your liver dumps more sugar into your bloodstream. The adenosine receptors in your brain are now blocked, preventing drowsiness.

• 45 minutes: Your body ups your dopamine production, stimulating the pleasure centers of your brain. This is physically the same way heroin works, by the way.

• > 60 minutes: The phosphoric acid binds calcium, magnesium, and zinc in your lower intestine, providing a further boost in metabolism. This is compounded by high doses of sugar and artificial sweeteners also increasing the urinary excretion of calcium.

• > 60 minutes: The caffeine’s diuretic properties come into play. (It makes you have to pee.) It is now assured that you’ll evacuate the bonded calcium, magnesium, and zinc that was headed to your bones as well as sodium, electrolytes, and water.

• > 60 minutes: As the rave inside you dies down, you’ll start to have a sugar crash. You may become irritable and/or sluggish. You’ve also now, literally, pissed away all the water that was in the Coke. But not before infusing it with valuable nutrients your body could have used for things like rehydrating your system, or building strong bones and teeth.

 

If you haven’t heard it already, Soda is known to cause you to become dehydrated faster. Whoever thought about capitalizing on a drink that causes you to become thirstier as you continue to consume it – is quite-literally a master mind.

Moving on: how is this process at any-way, similar to the consumption of milk? According to research information in 2000, the bodies’ ability to absorb calcium from milk fortified with protein is difficult. Regardless of the circumstances, calcium is extracted from our bones to ‘escort’ digested protein through the body. So based on studies, our bodies lose calcium in the process of consuming milk. In 2000, they estimated the amount of calcium lost was not a big concern, as more calcium was coming in than was being excreted.

More recent studies however, have shown otherwise. In 2010, Vivian Goldschmidt, argues that through scientific research on the acidity levels in milk, people have been known to LOSE more calcium than they take in.

Unlike the previous theory, arguing that there was a significant amount of calcium being absorbed into the body; they did not study the body’s natural reaction to the high acidity levels found in milk.

In the event that the pH level rises in our bodies, it sends Calcium from our bones to restore balance, since it’s a natural acid neutralizer. So not-only is our body busy escorting the protein through the body, but it’s also attempting to restore the pH balance. One thing you might also need to know is that once calcium has been pulled out of our bones, it can’t returned so it’s excreted out of the body via the urinary tract.

Another important fact is that doctors and scientists found a connection between a polypeptide called IGF-1 and it’s ability to stimulate the growth of healthy and cancerous cells. This hormone was announced by the FDA to be  found in high-concentrations within pasteurized milk products.

If questions continue to build up in your mind, then I believe I’ve done my part, because I have plenty more questions to ask myself. Ignorance may be bliss, but ignorance is still ignorance.

Links:
Milk and the Cancer Connection by Hans R. Larsen MSc ChE
Debunking the Milk Myth: Why milk is bad for you and your bones by Vivian Goldschmidt, MA
Milk for your Bones? Is milk best? – Article. Oct. 26, 2000. WebMD
What happens to your body if you drink a coke right now? – Article. Jun 23, 2010. BlissTree