Hi Alan,

[Sorry for my delayed response, but I have been away for one week (in
Münster, Germany). BTW, I visited two large libraries, but couldn't
find Franz Konz's book. I am not saying I would necessarily have
bought it, since it's in German (and quite thick), but if it had turned
out to be really interesting, I would have made the effort to read at
least a few chapters.]

Now, if I may summarize what has been said about calcium and dairy:

(Preliminary note: all the statements below are relevant for ordinary
--supermarket quality--foods. Further study is needed in order to
generalize to dairy from grass-fed, organically-raised animals and
plants grown on highly mineralized soils.)

 -The Ca/P ratio in milk is acceptable, but the ratio Ca/Mg is too
high (typically 20:1). Therefore, it is necessary to ensure adequate
magnesium intake in order to utilize dairy calcium efficiently.

 -On the other hand, few green vegetables constitute good sources of
calcium, since many (e.g. spinach) contain oxalic acid, which is known
to be a calcium inhibitor. Those who don't rarely have adequate ratios
Ca/P and Ca/Mg.

 -According to Alan, adults don't produce enough rennin, and rennin is
necessary to break a bond between calcium and casein. On the other
hand, I have read (if my understanding is correct) that the digestion
of dairy by pepsin and trypsin produces CPP, and the bond Ca-CPP is
weak enough, so that calcium can be absorbed... If someone could
clarify the relation between calcium paracaseinate and CPP, it would
be helpful.

 -Anyway, the rennin issue is irrelevant in pre-digested forms of milk
like yoghurt or cheese (in young animals, the rennin that is secreted
in their stomachs coagulates milk, which then acquires a youghurt-like
consistency).

 -Experiments (by radioisotope-labeling techniques) show that 25% of the
calcium in milk is absorbed. Alan claims without proof that
researchers have selected subjects among the few who produce rennin.

 -In some countries, people don't drink milk, but have get calcium
from sources that are unsuitable for raw-fooders, like tofu or fish
bones.

 -Pre-fire man didn't drink milk, nor did he eat tofu or fish bones,
but exercised outdoors more heavily than we are doing today. In
addition, life expectancy was not so high (even if infant mortality is
factored out). I see no guarantee that an inactive woman, eating an
uncooked stone-age diet (whatever it is) can live 90 years without
losing bone density.

 -Final note: the above only addresses the issue of calcium. There are
other reasons to eat dairy products (e.g. B12 for vegetarians), and
other reasons to avoid them. In addition, dairy may benefit some
people while being detrimental to others (if for instance one believes
in the blood type-diet theory).

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