Non Vegan Ingredients to Avoid

Whether you're a new vegan or a vegan veteran, keeping track of no-no ingredients can be incredibly difficult.  Friends and family, from longer term vegans all the way to new vegetarians, have been lamenting hidden animal ingredients popping up all over the place in the foods they used to enjoy with a clean conscience.  That's why I'm creating this handy guide!  Pin or bookmark it so that you can come back and use it as a reference while shopping, making your life that much easier.  These ingredients may be found in food, personal care products, clothing, household products, and more.  Remember:  no one is perfect and it's impossible to successfully avoid all of these ingredients 100% of the time.  Don't beat yourself up or get too caught up in the purity of it all and just do your best!

A

• Adrenaline - derived from the adrenal glands of pigs, cows, or sheep.
• Albumen/Albumin - derived from eggs.
• Allantoin (also Alcloxa and Aldioxa) - derived from cow urine.
• Alligator Skin 
• Alpha-Hydroxy Acids - may be lactic acid, which can be animal derived.
• Ambergris - derived from whale intestines.
• Amino Acids (alanine,  - may be animal derived.
• Angora - hair from rabbits or goats.
• Animals Fats and Oils
• Animal Hair
• Arachidonic Acid - derived from the liver, brain, glands, and fat of animals.
• Arachidyl Proprionate - may be derived from animal fat.

B

• Bee Pollen
• Bee Products
• Beeswax
• Beta Carotene - may be derived from animal sources.
• Biotin, Vitamin H, and Vitamin B Factor - found in every living cell, often derived from milk or yeast.
• Blood
• Boar Bristles - boar hair.
• Bone Char - animal bone ash.
• Bone Meal - crushed or ground animal bones.
• Butter, Artificial Butter, Artificial Butter Flavour, Butter Extract, Butter Fat, Butter Flavoured Oil, Butter Solids, Dairy Butter, Natural Butter, Natural Butter Flavour, Whipped Butter
• Buttermilk, Buttermilk Blend, Buttermilk Solids

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Related Post: 25 Surprising Non-Vegan Foods

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C

• Calfskin
• Caprylamine Oxide, Capryl Betaine, Caprylic Triglyceride and Caprylic Acid - derived from cow's or goat's milk.
• Carmine, Carminic Acid, and Cochineal - derived from crushed female cochineal insects.
• Carotene and Provitamin A - may be derived from animal sources.
• Casein, Caseinate, and Sodium Caseinate - milk protein.
• Cashmere - wool of the Kashmir goat.
• Castor and Castoreum - may be derived from muskrat and beaver genitals. (Synthetics widely used.)
• Catgut - derived from the intestines of sheep, horses, and other animals.
• Cera Flava - derived from bees.
• Cerebrosides - may be derived from the brains of animals.
• Cetyl Alcohol, Cetyl Palmitate - may be derived from sperm whales and dolphins. (Synthetics widely used.)
• Cheese, Cheese Flavour (artificial and natural), Imitation Cheese
• Chitosan - derived from the shells of crustaceans.
• Cholesterol - derived from animal fat, nerve tissue, animal nerve tissue, egg yolks, and blood.
• Civet - derived from a gland near the genitals of civet cats.
• Collagen - usually derived from animal tissue.
• Colours and Dyes - may be of animal origin.
• Confectioner's Glaze - contains approximately 35% shellac (see below).
• Cortisone, Hydrocortisone, and Corticosteroid - may be derived from the adrenal glands of animals. (Synthetics widely used.)
• Cream, Whipped Cream
• Curds
• Custard
• Cysteine, L-Form - may be derived from animal hair.
• Cystine - an amino acid found in urine and horsehair.

D

• Dairy, Dairy Product, Dairy Product Solids
• Down - goose or duck insulating feathers.
• Duodenum Substances - derived from the digestive tracts of cows and pigs.

E

• Eggs
• Egg Protein
• Elastin - derived from the neck ligaments and aortas of cows.
• Emu Oil - derived from factory-farmed emu.
• Estrogen and Estradiol - derived from the urine of a pregnant mare.

F

• Fats and Fatty Acids - derived from animals.
• Feathers - plucked from birds.
• Fish Oil, Fish Liver Oil, and Cod Liver Oil - derived from marine animals.
• Fish Scales
• Fur

G

• Gelatin, Gel, and Hide Glue - protein derived from the skin, tendons, ligaments, and/or bones of cows and pigs.
• Ghee - a form of butter used in Indian cooking
• Glycerin, Glycerol, Glyceryls, Glycreth-26, Polyglycerol, and Glycerides - normally derived from animal fat.
• Guanine - derived from the scales of fish.

H

• Half & Half
• Honey and Honeycomb
• Horsehair
• Hyaluronic Acid - can be derived from umbilical cords and the fluids around the joints of animals.
• Hydrolyzed Animal Protein - derived from animals.

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Related Post: 10 Reasons To Go Vegan!

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I

• Insulin - derived from hog pancreas.
• Isinglass - a form of gelatine derived from fish bladders.

K

• Kefir - made using milk.
• Keratin - protein derived from ground-up horns, hooves, feather, quills, and hair or animals.

L

• Lactic Acid - can be derived from blood and muscle tissue.
• Lactose, Galactose, Lactate Solids, Lactic Yeast, Lactic Monohydrate, Lactoferrin, Lactoglobulin, Lactulose, Lactalbumin, Lactalbumin Phosphate - derived from the milk of mammals.
• Lanolin, Laneth, Lanogene, Lonolin Acids, Wool Fat, Wool Wax, Lanolin Alcohol, Lanosterols, Isopropyl Lanolate, Cholesterin, Aliphatic Alcohol, and Amerchol L101 - extracted from sheep's wool.
• Lard - fat derived from hog abdomens.
• Leather
• Lecithin and Choline Bitartrate- often obtained from eggs and soybeans.
• Linoleic Acid - an essential fatty acid derived from fatty acids.
• Lipase - derived from the stomachs and tongue glands of calves, kids, and lambs.
• Lipids, Lipoids - derived from animals and plants.

M

• Marine Oil - derived from fish and marine mammals.
• Methionine - usually derived from eggs and milk.
• Milk, Acidophilus Milk, Cultured Milk, Condensed Milk, Dried Milk, Dry Milk Solids (DMS), Evaporated Milk, Lactose-Free Milk, Malted Milk, Milk Derivative, Milk Powder, Milk Protein, Milk Solids, Pasteurized Milk, Powdered Milk, Sour Milk
• Mink Oil - derived from minks.
• Monoglycerides and Diglycerides - derived from animal fat.
• Musk Oil - secretion derived from musk deer, beaver, muskrat, civet cat, and otter genitals.
• Myristic Acid, Myristyls, and Myristal Ether Sulfate - occassionally derived from animals.

N

• Natural Sources - can come from plant or animal sources.
• Nisin, Nisin Preparation - derived from milk.
• Nougat - often contains egg and honey.
• Nucleic Acids - derived from the cells of plants or animals.

O

• Octyl Dodecanol - derived from animal sources.
• Oleic Acid - obtained from animal or vegetable fats.
• Oleyl Alcohol, Ocenol, Oleths, Oleyls - derived from fish.

P

• Palmitic Acid, Palmitamide, Palmitamine, Palmitate - commonly derived from palm oil, but also from animal sources.
• Panthenol, Dexpanthenol, Vitamin B-Complex Factor, Provitamin B-5, Panthenyl - can come from animal, plant, or synthetic sources.
• Pepsin - derived from hog stomachs.
• Placenta - derived from the uterus of dead animals.
• Polypeptides - derived from animal protein.
• Polysorbates - derived from animal fatty acids.
• Pristane - derived from the liver oil of sharks and whales.
• Progesterone - a hormone derived from animals.
• Propolis - derived from beehives.
• Pudding

Q

• Quark - a soft cheese.

R

• Recaldent - derived from milk.
• Rennet, Rennet Casein, Rennin - enzyme derived from calves' stomachs.
• Retinol - vitamin A derived from animals.
• RNA (Ribonucleic Acid) - can be derived from animal or plant cells.
• Royal Jelly - a secretion from the throat glands of bees.

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Related Post: 15 Weird Things I Do Now That I'm Vegan

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S

• Sable Brushes - made from the fur of sables (similar to weasels).
• Shark Liver Oil and Squalane - derived from sharks.
• Sheepskin
• Shellac and Resinous Glaze - derived from insect excretions.
• Silk and Silk Powder - obtained from silk worms.
• Snails
• Sour Cream, Sour Cream Solids, Imitation Sour Cream
• Sperm Oil and Spermaceti - mostly derived from petroleum, but also derived from the heads of sperm whales and dolphins.
• Sponge - a plant-like marine animal.
• Stearic Acid, Stearamide, Stearamine, Stearamine Oxide, Stearates, Stearic Hydrazide, Stearone, Stearoxytrimethylsilane, Stearoyl Lactylic Acid, Stearyl Acetate, Dimethyl Stearamine and Isopropyl Palmitate - can be derived from cows, pigs, sheep, and cats and dogs euthanized in animal shelters.
• Stearyl Alcohol, Sterols, Stearyl Caprylate, etc. - may be prepared from sperm whale oil.
• Steroids and Sterols - can be derived from animal glands or plant sources.
• Suede
• Sugar - often refined using bone char

T

• Tallow, Tallow Fatty Alcohol, Sodium Tallowate, Tallow Acid, etc. - rendered beef fat.
• Turtle Oil and Sea Turtle Oil - derived from the muscles and genitals of giant sea turtles.
• Tyrosine - can be derived from milk.

U

• Urea, Uric Acid  - typically synthetic, can be derived from the urine of animals and other bodily fluids.

V

• Vitamin A - can come from fish liver oil, egg yolk, butter, and plant and synthetic sources.
• Vitamin B12 - can come from animal products or bacteria cultures.
• Vitamin D, Provitamin D-2, Ergocalciferol, Ergosterol, Vitamin D2, Calciferol, Vitamin D3 - can be derived from animal or plant sources.

W

• Wax - derived from both animal and plant sources.
• Whey, Acid Whey, Cured Whey, Delactosed Whey, Demineralized Whey, Hydrolyzed Whey, Powdered Whey, Reduced Mineral Whey, Sweet Dairy Whey, Whey Protein, Whey Protein Concentrate, Whey Powder, Whey Solids - a serum from milk.
• Wool - derived from sheep.

Y

• Yogurt

Notice something I missed?  Let me know in the comments and I'll add it!  I will continue to update this post as I find new ingredients that are animal-derived so that we can all work on making our lives as animal-product free as possible, together!

Until next time,

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Why I Add a B12 Supplement To My Vegan Diet

If you've spent any time in the vegan community online, it's likely you've heard talk about B12.  But what is B12 and why do we need it?  Do you need to use supplementation, or is it readily available in the foods we eat?  What happens if we don't get enough or get too much?  Do only vegans have to worry about their B12 levels?  Read on to learn the answers!

What is B12?

B12 is a vitamin that is essential for human health, used by the body to make new blood cells and DNA.  It is also a component of the myelin sheath, the protective layer of our nerves which also helps to conduct messages.  B12 is made by anaerobic microorganisms (bacteria that don't require oxygen).

How much B12 do I need?

Where is B12 found in nature?

In today's food supply, B12 is only really found in animal products (meat, milk and eggs) and fortified foods.  Certain varieties of mushroom and fermented foods contain B12, but in very small quantities insufficient to reach human needs.  Plants grown in B12 rich soil (which is unfortunately very uncommon today) easily absorb B12 and there is some B12 in certain varieties of algae (although not in its active form) and therefore both options are not particularly useful for our purposes.

How do animals get their B12?

Certain animals such as cows and sheep get most of their B12 by absorbing it as it is made by their gut bacteria.  All animals get a portion of their B12 intake from the following sources:

• The consumption of feces;
• Bacterial contamination of their food, and;
• The consumption of animal flesh, milk, and eggs.

What are the symptoms of B12 deficiency?

There are four stages of B12 deficiency:

Stage I: Declining blood levels of B12

Stage II: Low cellular concentrations of B12

Stage III: Increased homocysteine in the blood and a decreased rate of DNA synthesis

Stage IV: Macrocytic anemia.

Many undesirable symptoms come along with low levels of B12, even before you reach the final stage of B12 deficiency: anemia.  These symptoms include:

• Fatigue;
• Lethargy;
• Weakness;
• Numbness in the hands, legs, or feet;
• Neurological problems such as memory loss and cognitive difficulties;
• Difficulty walking;
• Shortness of breath;
• Palpitations;
• Pallor;
• A swollen tongue;
• Jaundice, and;
• Psychiatric problems such as paranoia or hallucinations.

How can I ensure I get enough B12?

If you are eating the standard american diet you are probably getting more than you need daily, but if you fall within one of the following categories you may need to look into supplementation:

• Over 50 years old;
• Vegan;
• Taking medications that interfere with the absorption of B12; or 
• Suffering with the malabsorption of foods due to weight-loss surgery or a medical condition.

While many foods are fortified with B12, these are likely insufficient for the needs of the above groups.  I, personally, take a B12 supplement daily in the form of a sublingual spray to ensure adequate intake.  For most, the smallest available dose of B12 (usually 100 mcg) taken daily does the trick.  Only a small percentage of that will be absorbed due to the body's limited ability to absorb B12 at amounts larger than about 4 mcg at any given meal.  Luckily, 4 mcg of B12 daily is more than anyone should require, unless struggling with absorption.  I know what you're thinking, but no.  Higher doses of B12 aren't necessarily better.  While there are no known negative health effects of more B12 in the body, the percentage of B12 absorbed is actual reduced when larger doses are taken.

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You might also like: Vegans vs Protein and Building Strong Bones With Plants

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What kind of B12 supplement should I take?

Any kind works, but it has been found that tablets that you chew or dissolve in the mouth, and sprays that you hold in your mouth for a certain period of time, are better absorbed than pills.

Should I get my B12 checked?

Through my research I've found a common recommendation from physicians to have B12 and methylmalonic acid (MMA) levels checked every few years, but only for those who are at a higher risk of deficiency.

For the general population, B12 deficiency is not a big concern.  For vegans and vegetarians, however, it remains a real risk with as many as 50-80% suffering from the deficiency.  I am an advocate for a healthy vegan diet, and find that I receive adequate amounts of every conceivable nutrient without the need for supplementation, with the exception of B12.  I myself take a daily supplement and recommend that any vegans out there do the same!

Until next time,

Do you take a B12 supplement?  What are your thoughts on supplementation in general?  Let me know in the comments below!

Feel free to join the plant based bride community in the form at the bottom of this page for updates and freebies!

Linked Up!

Sources and Further Reading

https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminB12-Consumer/

http://chriskresser.com/b12-deficiency-a-silent-epidemic-with-serious-consequences/

http://www.dietitians.ca/Downloads/Factsheets/Food-Sources-of-Vitamin-B12.aspx

http://nutritionstudies.org/12-questions-answered-regarding-vitamin-b12/

http://www.eatrightontario.ca/en/Articles/Nutrients-(vitamins-and-minerals)/What-you-need-to-know-about-vitamin-B12.aspx#.Vfh_gLTPmfQ

http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/vitamin-b12-deficiency-can-be-sneaky-harmful-201301105780

http://plenteousveg.com/algae-b12/

http://patient.info/doctor/macrocytosis-and-macrocytic-anaemia

Should You Worry About Your Body's pH?

Have you ever heard someone talk about alkalizing their body?  Or avoiding a food because it's too acidic?  Did you think to yourself: "Wow, that health-nut has reached a new level of crazy!"?  There was a time I would have agreed with you, that spending time worrying about your body's pH was going too far down the road to orthorexia, but after more time and research I've discovered that maintaining a balanced pH should be more than a blip on your radar if you're looking to create an environment for optimal health.  (Am I the only one who just imagined a futuristic, sleek, blinking health-radar?  I am?  Never mind, then...)  And aren't we all looking for a way to live a longer, happier, disease-free life?

What's pH again?

If it's been a while since high school, you may have forgotten all about pH.  And that's ok!  (That's what I'm here for.)  pH measures the hydrogen ion concentration of a given solution.  High concentrations of hydrogen ions result in a low pH rating and low concentrations of hydrogen ions result in high pH rating.  If that sounds backwards to you, you aren't alone.  But it all makes sense scientifically, I promise!  

The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14, where 0 is the most acidic, 7 is neutral, and 14 is the most basic (or alkaline).  See below for examples of different substances and their pH value.

Image from schoolofpermaculture.com

What is your body's pH?

The optimal pH for human blood and tissues is in a very small range, between 7.35 and 7.45 on the pH scale (slightly alkaline).  Unfortunately, the average modern diet results in a slightly acidic body of around 6.6 or lower.  While 7.4 is the perfect pH level for many tissues in the body, there are some areas that require different levels to properly carry out their function.  As you can see in the graphic above, stomach acid is a 1 on the scale, requiring tissue ranging from 1.35-3.5 on the inside layers to 6.9 on the outer layers of the stomach to prevent injury.  We see a similar phenomenon in the vagina, where a pH of less than 4.7 protects against microbial overgrowth.

When we are born our bodies are perfectly balanced, but as we grow and make our own food choices our pH shifts.  Unfortunately for us, any shift away from the small range of ideal pH values results in negative effects on our health. 

Why is body pH important?

The human body has evolved to exist in an alkaline state.  It can't thrive in an acidic one, and when it remains in an acidic state for too long many health problems start to develop.  An acidic body causes insulin sensitivity (which leads to weight gain), reduces the amount of oxygen delivered to cells, accumulates cholesterol in arteries, causes tissues to regenerate more slowly (resulting in early signs of aging), and backs up the body's elimination system (keeping toxins in the body for longer than they should be).  Luckily for us, there are controls in the human body that resist swinging too far in either direction.  But even a small change in either direction can cause unpleasant side-effects.

The acidic body

The average person of today eats a diet low in magnesium, potassium, and fibre while rich in saturated fat, simple sugars, and sodium.  This kind of diet can result in metabolic acidosis (an acidic body).  The effect is exaggerated in the aging population, as there is a gradual loss of renal acid-base regulatory function over time (the kidneys lose their ability to balance the body's pH effectively).  

Why should you care about metabolic acidosis?  Because it can lead to osteoporosis as well as fatigue, headaches, insomnia, breathing difficulties, heart palpitations, hot and dry skin on the hands and feet, increased stress and anxiety, inflammation (which can result in arthritis), and supported growth of abnormal cells.  To explain how acidosis can lead to osteoporosis, let me quote my post Building Strong Bones with Plants:

"So what happens when the animal protein in milk lowers our pH below the optimal level?  Your body, recognizing the need to alkalize, goes in search of a substance to do the job.  It finds phosphate, which is great at neutralizing strong acids and bases.  And where does your body find phosphate?  In the calcium phosphate salts that are the structural component of your bones and teeth.  The body pulls the calcium phosphate stored in the bones out into the blood to alkalize it, using the phosphate for that purpose and excreting the calcium in the urine.

That's right, when you eat or drink animal products, including cow's milk, you cause calcium to be pulled from your bones and peed out.

Over time, this drawing on calcium phosphate reserves to neutralize the acid-forming effect of animal protein can lead to structural weakness in your bones and teeth (or osteoporosis).  Not only that; increasing your calcium excretion through the genito-urinary system can raise your risk of developing calcium-rich kidney stones."

It is estimated that the amount of calcium lost in urine in humans eating the average modern diet over 20 years could be as much as 480gm, or half the skeletal mass of calcium.  While urinary calcium loss is not a direct indicator of osteoporosis, this number is staggering.  

Are you starting to worry about your pH yet?

The alkaline body

With an interest in keeping perspective, I feel it's important to mention that while an acidic body is not healthy, neither is a body that is too alkaline.  Alkalosis (a body with a pH over 7.45) can cause confusion, light headedness, nausea, and twitching or numbness of the muscles.

Which foods promote a healthy pH in the body?

As you can see from this list, all of the alkalizing foods are vegan, while all animal products cause acid formation in the body.  Choosing a vegan diet automatically shifts your pH closer to ideal by way of eliminating animal protein, and reducing your consumption of grains, simple sugars, alcohol, and processed foods will improve your pH balance even further!  Hopefully this post has demystified body pH for you and shown you how very easy it is to improve your pH balance, especially on a plant based diet!

Until next time,

Have any questions or opinions about pH?  Speak your mind in the comments below or on social media!

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Don't forget to subscribe to the Plant Based Bride newsletter below the comment section for updates and a free goal setting printable!

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Sources/Further Reading:

How to Use a Vegan Diet to Keep Your Body Alkaline - One Green Planet

pH Balance - Busy Vegan

The Alkaline Diet: Is There Evidence That an Alkaline pH Diet Benefits Health?

Building Strong Bones with Plants

Calcium is important, everyone says so.  "Get your calcium for strong bones!" they say.  And where do you get calcium?  If you ask the average person, they'd confidently say "From milk!"  If that's the case, how come vegans aren't breaking bones from a minor fall or developing osteoporosis at astonishing rates?  The answer is simple.

Milk is not the only source of calcium.  It is, in fact, not even the best source.

Why We Need Calcium

When most people think about calcium, they think strong bones.  And while calcium is a mineral stored (mostly) in our bones and teeth, supporting their structure and hardness, it is utilized in the body for so much more.  Calcium is needed for muscles to contract, nerves to carry messages between the brain and the body, blood vessels to move blood, and releasing the hormones and enzymes that control virtually all function in the body.  As you can see, calcium is a heavy hitter that you REALLY want on your team.

How Much Calcium A Day?

Calcium recommendations are as follows:

Aim to reach your recommended daily intake but don't overdo it!  Calcium overdose (usually due to supplementation) can cause abdominal pain, constipation or diarrhea, headaches, nausea and vomiting, irregular heartbeat, and even a coma.

The Trouble with Milk

Milk consumption actually causes calcium loss from your bones.  Yes, you read right.  But if cow's milk causes this detrimental effect, why doesn't everybody know about it?  I can see why a lay-person might be confused.  At first glance, cow's milk seems like a great source of calcium.  After all, it contains quite a lot at 300mg per cup.  But cow's milk, especially milk that has been pasteurized, contains calcium that is difficult for the human body to absorb.  And that's not all.  Cow's milk, like all foods containing animal protein, has an acidifying effect on the human body.  Why do we care about the body's pH?  Most people don't, but your body certainly does.  The human body must remain within a very narrow pH range to maintain normal functioning, with the ideal pH registering at 7.4 on the scale.  This means that the body must remain in an alkaline state.  If it doesn't, a syndrome called acidosis may develop, common side effects of which include fatigue, headaches, insomnia, breathing difficulties, heart palpitations, hot and dry skin on the hands and feet, and supported growth of abnormal cells.

So what happens when the animal protein in milk lowers our pH below the optimal level?  Your body, recognizing the need to alkalize, goes in search of a substance to do the job.  It finds phosphate, which is great at neutralizing strong acids and bases.  And where does your body find phosphate?  In the calcium phosphate salts that are the structural component of your bones and teeth.  The body pulls the calcium phosphate stored in the bones out into the blood to alkalize it, using the phosphate for that purpose and excreting the calcium in the urine.

That's right, when you eat or drink animal products, including cow's milk, you cause calcium to be pulled from your bones and peed out.

Over time, this drawing on calcium phosphate reserves to neutralize the acid-forming effect of animal protein can lead to structural weakness in your bones and teeth (or osteoporosis).  Not only that; increasing your calcium excretion through the genito-urinary system can raise your risk of developing calcium-rich kidney stones.

Scientific studies have proved this effect time and again.  So why isn't it common knowledge?  That, my friends, is a whole other post.

Foods High In Calcium

Now we know that cow's milk is not the best source of calcium.  So what is?  Here is a table of select vegan foods high in calcium:

My recommended daily intake of calcium as an adult between the ages of 19 and 50 is 1,000mg.  1 cup of tempeh (184mg), 1 cup of kale (179mg), 1 cup of collard greens (357mg) and 8 oz of a plant milk (300-500mg) is enough to provide my daily calcium needs.

Getting Enough Calcium on a Vegan Diet

Calcium is essential.  No one will argue with you on that.  But cow's milk is NOT the ideal source, by any stretch of the imagination.  Vegans actually have a bit of the upper hand on this one as our lack of animal protein intake reduces our calcium losses in comparison with an omnivore.  Still, at the risk of sounding repetitive here, calcium is a very important mineral and must be present in the body in adequate quantities.  Be sure to eat your greens and a variety of other plant based foods high is calcium, and supplement if need be.  Remember that age, vitamin D levels, alcohol and caffeine consumption and various other factors can affect calcium absorption.  Eat a variety of plants, whole, and you'll be doing better than 90% of the milk-guzzling population.

Until next time...

Do you monitor your calcium levels and intake?  What is your favourite high-calcium food?  Let me know in the comments below!

Be sure to subscribe to the Plant Based Bride newsletter (at the bottom of this page) so you never miss  a post!

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Tweet: When you drink cow's milk you cause calcium to be pulled from your bones and peed out. http://bit.ly/1Ndlcvz #plantbasedbride # justthefacts

Sources

• https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Calcium-Consumer/
• http://www.budwigcenter.com/how-to-maintain-a-perfect-ph-balance/#.VcvB03i6_dk
• http://saveourbones.com/osteoporosis-milk-myth/
• https://drbenkim.com/ph-body-blood-foods-acid-alkaline.htm
• http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/content/139/5/493.abstract
• http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/calcium.php
• http://www.livestrong.com/article/28213-can-person-overdose-calcium/