Breaking the Milk Myth

The only way to build strong bones is to drink milk by the gallon, right? Despite the fact that certain industries have built entire ad campaigns around that very premise, the link between dairy consumption and bone strength is now more tenuous than ever. A study conducted by Sydney’s Garvan Institute of Medical Research compared the bone densities of 105 vegan Buddhist nuns to those of 105 non-vegans in the same age group. The findings? The average bone mass of the two groups was identical, despite the fact that the vegans’ protein and calcium intake tended to be lower than the control group’s. So if you’re worried about building better bones, you can forget about the milk and pile your plate with leafy greens and whole grains.