When we hear the word calcium, the word that comes to mind next for most people is…MILK. Why is this the case? The marketing division of the powerful dairy industry spends millions each year in advertising to link these two words. Think about it – we are the only species who drink another species’ milk. Even cow’s milk is only intended for calves. When the National Food Guide first came out in the 1970’s, there wasn’t originally a high dairy requirement. The Dairy Industry got hold of the news and donated a large sum of money. Things changed and dairy grew on the list to the 2nd most important food category.
There are many other non-dairy calcium sources available to us. Some other sources include broccoli, parsley, Swiss chard, salmon, kelp, almonds, kale and black beans. In addition, calcium is better absorbed by the body when fresh and raw foods are included in the diet. The absorption of calcium can be inhibited by excess salt, refined sugars, caffeine, alcohol, cigarettes or excess protein.
Many ailments are improved with a reduction of dairy in the diet. Some of these include arthritis, PMS, eczema, allergies, osteoporosis, psoriasis and diabetes. Try and incorporate some non-dairy sources of calcium in your diet today. It will encourage more nutrients into your diet with the addition of more greens, and may also clear up health problems you are experiencing.
