Milk not essential to making bones stronger
While the dairy industry has long claimed that milk is necessary to build strong bones because it contains calcium, scientific evidence has not definitively shown that the drink is critical for a healthy diet, according to experts.
An August 12 New York Times article noted that dairy advertising campaigns have suggested that because bones are made of calcium, drinking milk is needed to promote bone health—a message that has not been fully supported by research, said Walter Willett, professor of epidemiology and nutrition at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. He explained that in previous clinical trials, adults and children who didn’t have enough calcium were able to raise their bone density by consuming dairy products or supplements, but the increase did not actually translate to a lower risk of bone fractures.
“The idea that we need lot of calcium is based primarily on very short-term studies looking at calcium balance over a few weeks,” Willett said.
Experts quoted in the article noted that other foods may be a better source of calcium. For example, fermented dairy products such as yogurt and cheese—which are good for the gut microbiome and may be better tolerated by lactose-sensitive individuals—have shown a stronger association with lower bone fracture risk. Other good sources of calcium include tofu, bony fish, leafy vegetables, fortified orange juice, and plant-based milks.
Read the New York Times article: Does Drinking Milk Actually Make Your Bones Stronger?
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Milk optional in a balanced diet (Harvard Chan News)
