Drink Up

It8217;s a lesson many learned early in life: Drink your milk to build strong, healthy bones. Moms and dads recognise the importance of milk, which is rich in calcium and other nutrients, in their growing kids8217; diet and so do the dieticians today. The concern, however, is that the message is lost in later life as about 1.5 million people in the US alone suffer fractures every year due to weakening or thinning of the bones8212;a condition called osteoporosis.

		BONE UP OF CALCIUM
			8226; Juices fortified with calcium have given consumers a new ally in preserving health. But keep in mind that they don8217;t have other nutrients typically found in milk such as protein, vitamin D and phosphorus. 8226; Everyone naturally loses bone mass as they age. The critical factor is whether we have amassed sufficient bone mass in our early years to literally carry us through our 8216;golden years8217;. 8226; Caffeine causes us to lose calcium. Coffee consumption greater than 2-3 cups per day in postmenopausal women who have low intake of calcium may cause problems. 8226; Breast feeding isn8217;t a risk factor for fractures.

Why is milk so highly recommended for bone health?
Milk is a food that has the greatest number of nutrients packaged together to promote bone health. Calcium 2mg in 100mg, magnesium and phosphorus, vitamin D and fair source protein are the major nutrients in milk. Combined with physical activity, milk is still considered the best food for building and maintaining healthy bones throughout life. 8216;8216;It is a good source of nutrients if your body doesn8217;t react to it. But it has to be supplemented with other foods as well and is not a whole food,8217;8217; says diet diva, Dr Shikha Sharma.

What happens if you don8217;t drink milk?
8216;Healthy Eating Index,8217; published by the US department of Agriculture to measure the overall quality of Americans8217; diets, says 12 per cent of the population consume 8216;8216;good8217;8217; diets; the biggest shortfall is in eating calcium-rich dairy foods. Though India has no such figures, drinking milk seems to be a thing of the past even here.

As a result 1 in 2 women and 1 in 8 men over age 50 will experience a fracture due to thinning bones. Teenagers8217; fractures are also being noticed more often.

Is milk harmful?
The complete food tag has disappeared from milk. Dieticians say you need other supplements as well. Besides, man8217;s intervention in the natural cycle of milk production by injesting hormones and chemicals in the cows8217; feed makes the drink a little harmful.

Medically also some people might be incompatible. 8216;8216;Some people react to milk. It may aggravate asthma, gall bladder, kidney stones and high cholesterol. Irritable bowel syndrome is also triggered by milk,8217;8217; says Dr Shikha Sharma.

If it suits you, it is a good source of food for growing children and teens. 8216;8216;Growing people have a higher requirement of calcium, minerals and vitamins. So milk can be a good option,8217;8217; says Dr Shikha.

If your family doesn8217;t have too many milk drinkers8230;
8226; Add powdered milk to soups, sauces, puddings.
8226;Sprinkle cheese on salads, soups and baked potatoes.
8226; Prepare hot cereals with milk instead of water.
8226; Put milk in coffee and tea.
8226; Serve green leafy vegetables8212;they are a good source of calcium.
8226; Cereals can also be a good option.
8226; Soya is a good source of calcium. Non-vegetarian food is another source.