SoyMilk Crossroads

Some may look at today’s topic as somewhat of a continuation of the Day 6 discussion about osteoporosis.  But it moves beyond that.  We’re going to look closer at the common myth…

We need milk and dairy for calcium.

I believe it’s because of the heavy promotion done by the American dairy industry that large amounts of people have this crazy idea that cow’s milk is the sole source of calcium.
 

The calcium path.  Calcium is in the soil.  Plants absorb it and it becomes part of their structure.  Animals eat the plants.  Their bodies absorb the calcium.
 

Cows don’t drink milk for their calcium.  Calves do, but not mature cows.  They eat plant life.  So should we.  Fruits, vegetables, raw nuts, grains, seeds and beans all have calcium in them.
 

There is as much calcium in 5 oz. of firm tofu as there is in one cup of cow’s milk.  One cup of collard greens has more calcium then one cup of cow’s milk.  Generally, the greener the leaf veggie, the more calcium it contains.

How much calcium do we really need?

The U.S. RDA says that adults age 25 and older should get 800 mg per day.  They recommend 1200 mg of calcium per day for ages 11 to 24.  The calcium recommendations in other countries are lower.  For example, in Japan, adults are adviced to have 600 mg and if you live in Britain, the recommendation is 500 mg per day.
 

Who’s calling the shots?  Who’s deciding on these amounts?  Is it science?  How much does the political scene influence these recommendations?  Are economic factors given weight to increase the use of dairy?  What’s the role of the National Dairy Council in coming up with the magical number of milligrams of calcium that each American should consume each day?  This is something I may pursue at a future time.
 

Meanwhile, don’t rely on dairy for your calcium.  Experience some veggies and fruits.  Figs are high in calcium, so are almonds, sesame seeds, spinach, molasses, soybeans and soymilk, of course.  And the great thing… none of these have the damaging side effects of cow’s milk.

Today we move into the second half of our top ten myths about the nutruitional value of cow’s milk.  Today’s myth…..

Milk Builds Strong Bones.  We need it to Fight Osteoporosis.

In reality, dairy products are the number one cause of osteoporosis.  Yes, other contributors are tobacco, alcohol, caffeine, soft drinks, salt, antacids, and lack of exercise, but the major cause is dairy products.
 

Yes, cow’s milk does have calcium, but it also has casein protein, which is impossible for our digestive systems to handle, so we end up with excess.  Amino acids try to break down the casein protein.  It gets metabolized in the liver, and travels through the kidneys.
 

If that excess protein would just leave our bodies via the urine, I suppose all would be well, but it doesn’t do that.  Clinging to it on its way out are large amounts of minerals, among them being calcium.  Here’s the catch; the more animal protein you consume, the more calcium you lose.
 

Osteoporosis has been studied worldwide and the correlation holds true.  Countries with higher consumption of dairy products also have higher reports of osteoporosis.

Stop the Cycle

You can stop the cycle of flushing calcium out of your body by changing the type of protein you consume.   The protein in soybean is a complete protein and digestable.  Soy is also very high in calcium. 
 

Tomorrow…more on calcium….

When it comes to the nutritional value of cow’s milk, this is one of the major reasons people give for using dairy products.  Today’s myth….

We need Milk and Dairy Products for Protein.

The protein component in cow’s milk is casein.  This substance is so thick and coarse that it’s used to make some of the strongest wood glues you can buy.
 

Cow’s milk contains 300 times more casein than human milk.  But then, cows also have four stomachs for digestion.  Human bodies lack the digestive ability to break down the casein protein.  This creates other problems in our bodies, making dairy protein more harmful than it may be worth.  So what can we do?  What has nature given us?

Other Options

Protein is built from amino acids.  Every amino acid needed to build human protein can be found in fruits and vegetables.  So add variety and color to your life.
 

The soybean is a complete protein and easily digested by the human system.  It makes a great protein alternative to dairy.
 

Tomorrow, a look at Osteoporosis….

Tofu, also toufu (the Japanese Romaji spelling), doufu (the Chinese Pinyin spelling often used in Chinese recipes) or bean curd (the literal translation), is a food of Chinese origin, made by coagulating soy milk, and then pressing the resulting curds into blocks. There are many different varieties of tofu, including fresh tofu and tofu that has been processed in some way. Tofu has very little flavor or smell on its own, so it can be used either in savory or sweet dishes, and is often seasoned or marinated to suit the dish.  It’s relatively easy to learn how to make tofu. [1]


The production of tofu from soy milk is similar to the production of cheese from milk, although some tofu is made by processing non-soy products, such as almonds or black beans. The byproduct of the process is soy pulp (also called okara in Japanese).

Tofu originated in ancient China, but little else is known about the origins of tofu and its method of production. Tofu and its production technique were subsequently introduced into Japan in the Nara period (late eighth century) as well as other parts of East Asia. This spread likely coincided with the spread of Buddhism as it is an important source of proteins in the religion’s vegetarian diet.

Tofu is low in calories, contains beneficial amounts of iron (especially important for women of child-bearing age) and has no cholesterol. Depending on the coagulant used in manufacturing, the tofu may also be high in calcium (important for bone development and maintenance), and magnesium (especially important for athletes).

[1] This is discussed in a previous post.

Here’s some great, easy to follow instructions on how to make rice milk as well as a bonus dessert:

We make our own rice milk. It’s easy, cheap and you can adjust the sugar and add flavorings as per your preferences (we’re fond of frozen strawberries to make strawberry ‘milkshakes’!). You can use this rice milk with frozen bananas to make a sort of ice-cream like treat too. We really didn’t like the price for commercially prepared rice milk and after the info came on the list that one of these commercial products was not necessarily gluten free (the one we used to use) we came up with this recipe:

RICE MILK (need a blender)

        INGREDIENTS
        1 cup dry white rice
        1 litre (~ 4 cups) water
        1 tbsp (up to 1/2 cup) white sugar
        1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

1. Add rice and water, let soak room temperature for at least 4 hours  or in
the refrigerate over night (we put rice n’ water right into the blender
container!)
2. Blend rice and water in blender on high for about 1 minute
2. Strain out rice from water (SAVING WATER  SOLUTION!)
3. Add sugar and flavorings (ie. fruit), blend again
4. Refrigerate (we’re comfortable using this within 48 hours; maybe a
longer shelf life, we don’t know, never tried!)

CHOCOLATE-BANANA ‘ICE CREAM’ (need a food processer of some type)
Use about 1/2 cup rice-milk with 3 frozen bananas, that have been sliced in half and length-wise before freezing  (from a refrigerator freezer NOT a deep freeze, if you take the bananas from a ‘deep’ freeze microwave them first to soften them a bit first or your processer may protest, loudly!)
and add chocolate syrup and a little bit of vanilla extract if desired. Blend in food processer until smooth but NOT melted! We find this best if eaten right away but our 9 year old likes it even after its been in the freezer for a couple of days (it gets crystaline like a sherbert if kept in freezer after it’s made).

OTHER THINGS TO ADD: chocolate chips, frozen fruit, whatever you like and is gluten-free; FYI, non-GF people may like this concoction too!

Hope these recipes are of some use. You may have to play around with them a little until you get it just the way you like it. I know we’ll never buy rice milk again!

The myth I want to examine today is one that’s being pushed harder than ever. And that is….

Milk is Essential for Good Teeth

This is still being touted today even though it was brought into great question back in the 1960s. A study was done using rats because their tooth decay process is biologically identical to human teeth.

The end result was that the group fed pasteurized milk got twice as many cavities as the group on the sugar-fed diet.

Soda-Pop Era

With studies like this, how can dentists push milk as being good for teeth? Simple. We’re in the soda-pop era. Depending on the brand, a can of pop has anywhere from 9 to 12 teaspoons of sugar in it. A cup of milk has around 3 teaspoons of sugar. We’re looking at the lesser of two evils. Sorta. They each carry their own evils.

Dairy Industry Reaping the Benefits

With that much sugar in soda drinks, it’s prime time to push milk as an alternative. And that’s exactly how it’s being pushed, the healthy alternative to soda-pop. And to get kids to make the switch to milk, there is now a multitude of flavors available. Ah yes, but beware, read labels if it’s the sugar content that you are concerned with. The flavored milks increase the sugars up to 15 grams, some of them as high as 31 grams. Now you’re looking at anywhere from 4 to 7 teaspoons of sugar per cup of milk.

Need Alternatives for the Alternative

When it comes to your teeth, brushing them would probably be very good after drinking any of the above mentioned beverages. As for the milk, if there were any chance that it might be good for teeth, what about the rest of the body after it gets past the teeth. The mucus issue alone with cow’s milk (covered in Day 3), leaves me looking elsewhere.

One great alternative, of course, is to make Soymilk. It has Zero grams of sugar in it. As the maker, you control what sweetener, if any, to add.
 

Tomorrow’s topic… dairy and protein…

So far we’ve covered pasteurization and feeding babies the milk of their own species. 
 

Today’s Myth….
 

Our Children need Milk to make them Strong and Healthy.

Humans are the only species on this planet that refuse to wean their young.  We’re suppose to be the most intelligent, have the most sophisticated brain, but we seem to be a bit dense when it comes to the simple truth about milk.  Dairy products are harmful for human consumption.
 

The evidence keeps mounting.  People keep ignoring it.  And the mouthpieces for the dairy industry keep cheering, “Got Milk?”  Amazing how those two words somehow convince people that milk is good for them.

Leading cause of Allergies

Studies are showing that dairy products are the leading cause of allergies.  Cow’s milk builds more clogging mucus than any other food you can eat.  Because of this build up of mucus, dairy can be linked as a primary cause for runny noses, colds, ear infections, bronchitis, sinusitis, asthma and even hay fever.
 

If you have children who continue to suffer from any of these problems, talk to your doctor.  It may be time to look at an alternative to dairy.  Soymilk has no mucus issues!

Today we’re going to take a look at our greatest commodity as we view another myth about the nutritional value of cow’s milk, our offspring.
 

The Myth:

Cow’s milk is a good substitute for mother’s breast milk.

These days we see more and more mothers breast feeding their babies.  This is a good thing.  Human milk is designed for human babies.
 

A new born calf weighs around 90 pounds and in two years it will weigh 2000 pounds.  A human infant is born at 6 to 8 pounds and it takes 18 years to reach 100 to 200 pounds. 
  

I say let nature be your guide.  The structure of the milk for each species is designed to meet the specific needs of that species.  Humans do not need to put on weight as fast as cows.  The high fat and cholesterol content of cow’s milk should be on every one’s list of things to avoid.  It’s for cows!  It’s designed to very quickly create a huge, large-boned animal that has four stomachs.  This is not the way to begin the life of a human baby.
 

As a side note, have you seen the commercials that encourage the use of milk as part of a weight loss program?  What an advertising spin!!

What if breast feeding is just not an option? 

Human mother’s milk is only 2% protein.  So if you must look for an alternative examine the options closely.  Up to 30% of newborns that given formula made from cow’s milk experience a variety of reactions.  These can include: colic, fussiness, abdominal cramps, bloating, skin rashes, vomiting, eczema, wheezing, and excessive crying.
  

Studies have shown that a soy-based formula can reduce these issues by as much as 90%.  Babies that suffer from eczema, which is caused by an intolerance to the protein in cow’s milk, can be completely reversed when switched to a soy-based formula.
  

Whatever options you choose, it would also be good to supplement the baby’s diet with high quality seed and nut milks.  You can make them from raw almonds, sunflower or sesame seeds.  Long before dairy became a profitable business, nut and seed milks were used by the American Indians, Europeans, and Asians as a great source of calcium, protein, minerals and vitamins.
  

Tomorrow’s addition…. Our children need milk to make strong and healthy.

For the next ten days we will examine a myth a day about the nutritional value of cow’s milk.  It is not my intent to step on the toes of any cow milk drinkers out there.  I grew up on a farm and was raised on the stuff.   My goal is just to present some facts to interested readers.
 
 
Yes, I’m a soymilk drinker.  Yes, I sell a Soymilk Maker.  But I’m not writing this myth series because I drink soymilk.  I drink soymilk and decided to sell the Soyabella because of the information in this ten day series.
 
 
On with the first myth.

Cow’s Milk is Pasteurized to Make it Safer

Did you know that the dairy industry fought compulsory pasteurization in court, and lost?  Their argument was that it could not make bad milk into good milk.  They had it right.  But they soon got over it and began the advertising campaign to ready people’s thinking.
  

The propaganda had to convince milk drinkers that dirty raw milk could be added to clean milk, heated to high temperatures and that would kill the bad in the milk but leave the good.  Over time, the campaign worked.  People don’t even think about anymore.  In fact, we’re into a generation growing up that may not even know the difference between raw and pasteurized milk.
  

Milk is pasteurized at over 170 degrees.  All of the enzymes and anything of value in the milk are killed at 130 degrees.  It’s dead.  So, it’s fortified, value has to be added back in.  What pasteurization really did for the business was give milk a longer shelf life.  But beware!  Raw milk sours when it goes bad, so you know it immediately. 
 

For the most part, pasteurized milk is disguised stale milk.  With pasteurized milk you can’t tell when it has started to spoil.  It’s already rancid long before the bad odor develops.   Keep a very close eye on the expiration dates!
 

Tomorrow… Cow’s milk vs. Human milk (breast feeding)

It all began over five thousand years ago.  The soybean grew wild and was cultivated by the Chinese farmers.  They called them “tatou,”  meaning the “greater bean.”  There is a stone mural in Northern China that is believed to date back before the Common Era, showing soymilk and tofu being made.
 

In 2838 B.C. the Chinese Emperor Sheng-Nung wrote about soybeans and listed it as one of five sacred crops, along with barley, rice, millet and wheat.  This Emperor researched over one hundred plants for their healing properties and compiled his findings.  The translation, “The Medical Bible of the Yellow Emperor” is the earliest known medical manual.

The Traveling Soybean

The soybean plant was domesticated and its use spread throughout Korea, Japan and Southeast Asia.  Because of the vegetarian philosophy of the Buddhist religion, as the religion expanded so did the use of soy.  The Buddhist monks became well known for their abilities to produce delicious meals with soy protein.
 

During the 17th century the Europeans became aware of the soybean via their travels east, but for almost a century all they did was import soy sauce.  There is no record of European countries growing soybeans until the 18th century.

Making its Way to America

How soy got to the West is still somewhat uncertain.  Some theorize that European traders brought the beans from Asia.  Others believe the Chinese immigrants brought beans when they settled here.  Even Benjamin Franklin is given some credit for the introduction because he sent seeds from London to a friend in America in 1770.  It could have been a combination of all these things.  But little by little and then more and more, farmers were growing soybeans on American soil.
 

In 1904, George Washington Carver discovered that the soybean contained large quantities of oil and protein.  In 1909, soy-based infant formulas were introduced.  In 1919, the American Soybean Association was formed.
 

Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, known for his corn flakes cereal from Battle Creek, Michigan, is also credited for giving Americans their first soymilk and meat substitutes made from soy.  Dr. Kellogg was strongly influenced by Ellen White, Founder of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, whose membership is largely vegetarian.
 

Today, America is a world supplier for soybeans.  The number of scientific studies conducted on soy is constantly growing. As the research continues so will the knowledge of the vast health benefits of this staple food, the soybean.