The dairy industry advertises milk as a good source of calcium. And this is stuck in our heads. However, calcium in milk cannot be utilized due to the high protein content of milk, and osteoporosis is common among milk drinkers. Acid yielding foods like proteins result in calcium loss through the kidneys, oftentimes resulting in kidney stones.
The human being like many other primates is essentially a herbivore. Mother nature intended mammals to produce milk only for their young. Our species has broken the natural age and species laws for dairy. A human baby grows to full size in 18 years, a baby calf in 18 months. In order to help the calf grow fast, cow’s milk contains 3 times the quantity of protein as human milk making it similar in composition to meat – high protein, high fat, high cholesterol, no fibre.
| Calcium content of food (per 100-gram portion) | |
| Human Breast Milk | 33 mg |
| Mustard greens (cooked) | 138mg |
| Almonds | 234 mg |
| Mustard greens (raw) | 183 mg |
| Amaranth | 267 mg |
| Parsley | 203 mg |
| Apricots (dried) | 67 mg |
| Pistachio nuts | 131 mg |
| Beans (pinto, black) | 135 mg |
| Potato chips | 40 mg |
| Beet greens (cooked) | 99 mg |
| Raisins | 62 mg |
| Sesame seeds | 1,160 mg |
| Bran | 70 mg |
| Chickpeas (garbanzo) | 150 mg |
| Moringa leaves | 185 mg |
| Figs (dried) | 126 mg |
| Tofu | 128 mg |
| Ragi/Nachni | 344 mg |
| Spinach (raw) | 93 mg |
| Kale (raw leaves) | 249 mg |
| Sunflower seeds | 120 mg |
| Lettuce (dark green) | 68 mg |
| Cow’s milk | 120 mg |
However, it follows from the above chart that in most cases getting enough calcium in the diet is not the problem at all. In fact, dietary calcium intake deficiency never occurs. Here we see that the calcium content of human milk is just 33 mg per 100 g. A human newborn has no teeth and hardly any bones. After birth, bit by bit, teeth and bone formation occurs. The calcium requirement at this time is at its highest. Yet human milk is enough to provide us all the calcium we need at a time when it is most required.
A careful look at this chart will show that the calcium content of most green leafy vegetables, nuts and seeds is much more than that of human milk. Cow’s milk does contain a fair amount of calcium at 120 mg per 100 g but then it is not that much more than many other foods. In fact, sesame seeds contain a whopping 1160 mg in every 100 g. Calcium, an integral part of every cell is found in all fruits, vegetables and grains and especially in seeds and nuts. Cows produce calcium-rich milk from the grass they eat!