Dr. Mercola's Comments:


The idea that you have to drink milk for strong bones is deeply ingrained – the result of very successful PR by the commercial dairy industry. But what most people do not realize is that pasteurized milk has little to do with strong bones, or good health, for that matter.

In fact, pasteurized milk has no important health benefits at all, and I do not recommend it to anyone.

As stated in the article above, calcium is the issue being investigated, not necessarily the consumption of (pasteurized) milk. The study in question found that during the transition to young adulthood, the daily intake of calcium decreased an average of 153 mg for high school ...

Dr. Mercola's Comments:


The idea that you have to drink milk for strong bones is deeply ingrained – the result of very successful PR by the commercial dairy industry. But what most people do not realize is that pasteurized milk has little to do with strong bones, or good health, for that matter.

In fact, pasteurized milk has no important health benefits at all, and I do not recommend it to anyone.

As stated in the article above, calcium is the issue being investigated, not necessarily the consumption of (pasteurized) milk. The study in question found that during the transition to young adulthood, the daily intake of calcium decreased an average of 153 mg for high school girls, and 194 mg for boys.

Interestingly, time spent watching television was one factor associated with lower calcium intake, whereas an attitude toward a healthy lifestyle was cited as being associated with higher calcium intake. Which makes sense, regardless of the milk issue, since eating vegetables is one of the best ways to ensure you’re getting sufficient amounts of calcium, and is part and parcel of a healthy lifestyle.

The Vast Difference Between “Milk” and Raw Milk as a Source of Calcium

Whenever people talk about “milk” they automatically refer to pasteurized milk, which is the only variety you can find in every grocery store in the U.S. However, the drawbacks of drinking pasteurized milk are so many they overshadow any potential benefit from the calcium it contains.

And, in fact, there’s serious doubt about the calcium in pasteurized milk because one of the worst side effects of pasteurization is that it renders much of the calcium contained in raw milk insoluble… This can lead to rickets, bad teeth, and nervous troubles, for sufficient calcium content is vital to children. Additionally, with the loss of phosphorus also associated with calcium, bone and brain formation can suffer serious setbacks.

Pasteurization also destroys part of the vitamin C