I need help with milk, calcium, and sugar!

WifeMomDVM

Ok, I LOVE to drink skim milk. But since joining MFP, I've cut way back to help save on calories. I like milk because of the protein and calcium AND it just tastes good to me!

However, I'm trying to really cut down on my sugars and 1 cup of my skim milk has 12 grams of sugar. I know I can use unsweetened almond milk as a substitute but (from my understanding) it doesn't have have near the same amount of protein or calcium.

I can find protein from other sources, but what about calcium? I know leafy greens have calcium, but not near the amount you find in 1 cup of milk. I don't want to take chocolate calcium chews because of the sugar, so????? Help please!

jaimejean478

I don't factor in fruits to my sugar count, that helps a great deal. With my fruit at lunch, and banana snack, I'm like 30g over on sugar. If I take those out, I'm fine. I'm guessing others will weigh in that there are good sugars and bad sugars... the sugar goal is so low, I take a look at my snack bars, etc when factoring that number. Even though we don't like seeing a red minus number in our daily diary

(In short - don't worry so much about the milk - the benefits far outweigh the few extra sugar grams!)

stanvoodoo

They have sugar free chews for the Calicum.

annacataldo

milk is also good for potassium (like 400mg), and ur suppose to have 3500mg of potassium a day... yogurt and cheese have calcium, but so do:
•Salmon
•Tofu
•Rhubarb
•Sardines
•Collard greens
•Spinach
•Turnip greens
•Okra
•White beans
•Baked beans
•Broccoli
•Peas
•Brussel sprouts
•Sesame seeds
•Bok choy
•Almonds

theres also calcium fortified foods, like ur breakfast cereal might have calcium in it, or your orange juice, instant oatmeal, etc etc.

Angela4Health

Dark leafy greens actually have a TON of calcium!

kacarter1017

If your sugars are from healthy sources, I wouldn't be too worried. 2-3 servings of milk a day is what most people should have. This can be yogurt and such as well, but that will also bump your sugars up.

WifeMomDVM

So then is it not possible to eat a healthy diet and keep sugars (yes including fruits and milk!!!) under 35 grams/day? I know lots of people don't count "healthy/natural sugars" but I'm trying to keep sugars whether natural or not, under 35 grams/day, period.

I like the suggestion of the sugar free chews if they aren't sweetened artificially. Hopefully they won't taste like poo. I wouldn't mind something I could mix into my protein shake.

I know leafy greens have calcium as I said, for example, per 100 calories: milk has 355 mg of calcium and spinach has 450 mg of calcium, but do you realize how much spinach you have to eat to reach 100 calories? (it's more than I can manage).

So, I guess I'm off to shop for some calcium supplements.... thanks everyone!

nomex

if there is a way, to keep sugar under 35 with milk and fruit, I haven't found it.

I personally do not, count milk sugar or fruit sugar (on some days my sugar can get pretty high from those sources) .
I have seen several studies that have shown that women who are milk drinkers actually weigh less than other women. All the studies I have seen are correlational, and not experimental, but I do think there is something to it. You are drinking Skim milk!! I don't think there can be ANYTHING bad about that (even if the numbers don't match). I think we can go over the edge AWAY from eveyday sustainable meals / foods and put too much emphasis on supplements in our diets.

just my two bits....

prov31ms

Hey - this morning as I as making my coffee I read the label of my new substitute for coffee creamer (which I read about here on MFP from other users) - Blue Diamond Almond Breeze Vanilla Unsweetened Almond Milk - 1 cup has 40 calories - 45% of your daily calcium - and 0 grams of sugar. I have been using this in my coffee & tea and quite like it for that. I have not tried it in other ways yet (I would like to try it in cereal next time I have that) - but it might be a way to get the calcium you are looking for without the sugar. =0)