Hi Alan,

> Quite apart from the obvious question (i.e. When you see a cow do you
> feel the natural urge to suck on her udder?), where is the evidence
> that most humans are able to gain calcium from raw (cow) milk? Or
> to put it another way..which enzymes do we possess (after weaning) which
> enable us to utilize this rather unnatural calcium source?

The rate of calcium absorption is 25% for milk, and about the same for
mineral water (1). Probably the mechanisms of absorption are the same
in both cases (no need of an additional enzyme). Of course, dark green
vegetables are also rich sources of calcium which have less
inconvenients than dairy (no lactose, no allergenic proteins) --if one
likes them.


(1) Couzy F et al. Calcium bioavailability from a calcium- and sulfate-rich
mineral water, compared with milk, in young adult women. Am J Clin
Nutr 1995 Dec;62(6):1239-44


--Jean-Louis Tu <[log in to unmask]>