Calcium Does a Body Good 
(Not Milk!)

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It’s not milk that “does a body good”, it’s calcium; and you do not need to drink milk in order to get your daily requirements.

Milk consumption has become a multi-billion-dollar industry with hundreds of millions of dollars spent every single year to convince you that you need dairy and that milk “does a body good.” Milk does not do any “body” good, other than the “body” it was intended for - a baby cow.

And speaking of humans, did you know that we are actually the only species that drinks another animal’s milk, and any milk past infancy?   A baby calf stops drinking its mother’s milk between six to eight months of age, and then transitions over to grasses and a natural “grazing” diet. For some reason, a human stops breastfeeding around one year of age, and then transitions over to drinking another animal’s milk. It’s not natural, but it is certainly profitable.

In the natural world, milk from cows exists to feed baby calves. No matter how much the dairy industry bleaches it, adds sugar to it, and otherwise creates a profitable product for the masses, milk is ultimately an accelerated cow growth food…not a human growth food.

Milk is for calves, not people

The good news is, plant sources of calcium are free from hormones and creepy growth agents, are more readily absorbable by our bodies, and have the added benefit of fiber, phytonutrients, and antioxidants. And if you are craving a creamy, milky beverage, you have so many options: soy milk, almond milk, coconut milk, and hemp milk are all nutrient-dense, plant-based options.

There is a lot of talk about the hormones in milk, so much so that the dairy foundation and different milk companies advertise that their cows are “hormone-free” and “antibiotic-free”. But added hormones which are injected into livestock to increase production of milk are only part of the concern. Just as a human mother’s milk is full of her own mix of estrogen and testosterone, even “hormone-free” milk and dairy products have the naturally occurring hormones of an animals milk. This milk, no matter how you look at it, is intended for her child - not for another species’ cereal and lattes. And considering a cow goes from 90 pounds to up to 2000 pounds in less than two years by drinking that milk,   it’s safe to say that if humans drink a cow’s milk, weird things are going to happen.

A hormonal issue

How do you think grown cows get their calcium? Are they magical, calcium-producing beasts? Of course they aren’t; naturally grazing cows (not those on feed lots) get their calcium - enough of it for their mighty bones to support an average body weight of 1,500 pounds - exclusively from plants.   Which begs the question: why not just skip the middle man?

Every animal requires calcium, including cows. Like magnesium, copper, and iron, calcium is a mineral that’s found in the soil. From soil, it’s then transferred to plants, and from plants, it’s transferred to the animal eating those plants.

Where do cows get calcium?

When you factor in all of the potential hazards of drinking milk and eating dairy, Ground Leaf nominates whole food, plant-based foods for the calcium win.

So what foods should you make sure you’re eating to keep your calcium levels in their ideal place? Kale, collards, and beet greens are very high in absorbable calcium, and a serving of broccoli, cauliflower, or watercress would all provide you with more calcium than a glass of milk, partly due to the higher bioavailability of the plant-based foods.  Sesame seeds, chickpeas, and pumpkin seeds are also packed with calcium, and have the added bonus of proteins and fiber too. We've included a link to                    so you can decide which plant based calcium options are best for you.

So what foods should you make sure you’re eating to keep your calcium levels in their ideal place? Kale, collards, and beet greens are very high in absorbable calcium, and a serving of broccoli, cauliflower, or watercress would all provide you with more calcium than a glass of milk, partly due to the higher bioavailability of the plant-based foods.  Sesame seeds, chickpeas, and pumpkin seeds are also packed with calcium, and have the added bonus of proteins and fiber too. We've included a link to                           so you can decide which plant based calcium options are best for you.

Truth is, billions of dollars have been spent since the early ‘80s advertising milk as a commodity, but when you look at the facts, it’s simply not the best source of calcium, not back then, and certainly not now.

“At the end of the day, the ‘disease’ of calcium deficiency from a calorically sufficient natural whole food, plant-based diet is nonexistent.”

Rosane Oliviera, PhD and Assistant Professor at the Department of Public Health Sciences at the School of Medicine at the University of California puts it very simply:

A whole food, plant-based diet is abundant with opportunities to meet your calcium needs. As long as you’re eating a variety of whole foods found in their natural form, you’re getting all the calcium you need to meet your recommended daily intake. 

But how do you get calcium on a whole food, plant-based diet? Isn’t it commonly accepted by mainstream media and the nutrition world that you need dairy in order to have strong bones? Not anymore, it isn’t.

Calcium, the most abundant mineral in your body, is responsible for keeping countless parts and functions working in top condition. Want shiny, happy teeth? Calcium. Trying to keep your bones healthy and strong as you age? Calcium. On a mission to keep your wits about you and improve brain functioning? Calcium. Want your heart to keep on beating? You guessed it…calcium.