

How does dairy deplete your body of nutrients? A glass of skim milk gives me calcium and vitamin D!--iluvgeddy

Alicia Silverstone’s explanation: The excess animal protein in meat and dairy is so acidic that it causes the body to release calcium to buffer the acidity. Osteoporosis is very rare in countries that eat little or no dairy. Meat and dairy contain no phytonutrients, no complex carbs (which are very important). Basically meat and dairy are saturated fat and protein. And I think I meant that people on standard American diets, they often lack variety in the fruit veg and whole grain and plant protein categories. So that is how they lack nutrients as well. Because they don’t eat them.

Body by Glamour nutritionist Rachel Beller’s take: The bottom line is that Alicia is NOT wrong, but the statement is polarizing. It sounds like all meat and dairy should be avoided; however, like so many things in life, it’s never this simple. A high protein diet that particularly emphasizes an intake of animal sources of meat and dairy does cause an acidic environment in the body, which subsequently must be neutralized by the body’s calcium. The prevailing idea is that calcium is absorbed from the bones to balance the acidic environment, thus leading to bone loss. Numerous studies have supported this theory for years. This is the basis of a long-standing claim that we (the American people) should increase our intake of vegetable sources of protein and decrease our animal sources of protein.

Please keep something in mind--this is not a new concept. For years, I (and my colleagues) have been preaching the importance of decreasing meat and high fat dairy intake in the diet. Hundreds of studies tell us that eating a diet in which the majority of calories come from vegetables, fruit, whole grains, legumes and Omega-3 essential fatty acids is an effective way to reduce disease risk regardless of the small amounts of dairy and meat we may consume.

However, as consumers, we must learn to strike a balance. Cutting out all meat and dairy is not the answer. When eaten in small amounts as part of a healthy diet, these animal protein foods are not the main cause of chronic disease and are not as harmful as some might think. A completely vegetarian diet has a similar health profile to a diet that is rich in plant foods and has a small amount of meat and dairy in it. The benefit comes from a total healthy diet pattern that is loaded with plant food, not from a diet pattern that avoids all meat and dairy. As always, the key is balance—if you want to eat meat and dairy, do so in moderation.

If you’re looking for more ways to improve your bone health and help prevent osteoporosis, try:
- Increase the amount of vegetable sources of protein that you eat.
- Exercise!
- Decrease your caffeine intake.
- Be sure to get an adequate amount of vitamin D to ensure the calcium balance in your body is maintained.
- Avoid excessive alcohol drinking and smoking .
- Get your vitamin K with broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kale, dark green lettuce and collard greens.
- Avoid a high-sodium diet.

So what do you think? Does this clear up some of your questions? How often do you eat meat? And after reading this, would you consider eating less of it? Do you have any questions about the Body by Glamour food plan or nutrition in general? Rachel would LOVE to answer them!

P.S. For those who wanted clarification about Alicia’s stance on birth control, she didn’t mean to suggest that she doesn't approve of birth control--she just prefers not to use prescription medication. For more information on birth control, please contact Dr. Hilda Hutcherson, Glamour’s resident ob-gyn, over at Vitamin G. Or, e-mail her here.

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