Letter to the Editor

From Becky Herold

In regards to the piece “Got Milk?” in last issue’s opinions section, I offer a few counterpoints for Eastern’s student body to consider.

1) The mechanisms described are misinformed.
Firstly, milk and other acid-forming foods do not simply make your body acidic, and this is a misleading way to approach their effects. Instead, your body excretes the extra acid in your urine. Although there is a correlation between the acidity of urine and calcium excreted in the urine, a 2009 study asserts that this ‘urinary’ calcium does not reflect a change in the body’s overall calcium store.

2) The University of California study does not seem to exist.
The only study I came across from this university had results that were fairly consistent with the general medical consensus – “Regular milk consumption in youth and adulthood is associated with better bone mineral density … in elderly women.”

3) Milk alternatives.
The recommendation of almond milk is especially problematic as an alternative to regular milk. California is currently experiencing the worst drought in its history and the increase in almond farming has had a large impact on water consumption. I wish students would consider this more in their food choices. I personally drink whole milk, but there are a number of dairy and non-dairy options that remove the demand for almonds.