Milk: still the best source of calcium

I would like to respond to the article written by Anne Boyd, which appeared in The Daily Collegian on Feb. 26, "Milk drinkers may be gulping down future health problems."

The article attempted to present opposing viewpoints of the importance of calcium in the human diet, and more specifically, the availability of calcium from dairy products vs. non-dairy foods.

Calcium deficiency is arguably one of the most serious health concerns facing young people today. Non-recognition of such a profoundly important issue as this surely is, constitutes not only an egregious breach of accurate journalism, but also of good faith, since I provided the writer with a lot of useful information that could have been shared with her readers.

The article portrayed non-dairy sources of calcium, such as "dark green vegetables," as a "better source of calcium" than milk or other dairy foods.

Untrue. Almost no calcium is absorbed from spinach, and calcium from soybeans, navy, pinto or red beans (only fair sources of calcium) is absorbed only half as well as from milk.

Based on this information, one must consume approximately 2 1/2 cups of broccoli, 6 cups of pinto beans or 30 cups of soy milk to deliver the same amount of calcium absorbed from one 8-ounce glass of milk.

Additionally, vegetarians are at greater risk for inadequate calcium nutrition because of low calcium intakes, coupled with the presence of several inhibitors of calcium absorption such as dietary fiber, and phytic and oxalic acids found in many plant foods.

Absorption of calcium from food depends on the total calcium content of the meal and the presence of elements that either enhance or inhibit its absorption. It is a challenge for individuals who exclude or limit consumption of dairy products to meet the recommended intakes of calcium.

Milk and other dairy products are the richest food source of calcium. Dairy foods provide over 75 percent of the calcium in the U.S. food supply.

Young people, particularly young women, concerned with issues such as proper diet, bone health and risk factors of osteoporosis, would do well to follow the adage "drink your milk." Calcium intake, from childhood and adolescence to adulthood, and into the later years of life, is important to offset calcium bone losses and to maintain bone health in the years after peak bone mass has been reached.

There is simply no adequate substitute, food or beverage, that can be compared with the nutrients found in a single glass of milk.

Thomas R. Palchak
manager, University Creamery

A new view: Steel City beats Philly

I'm curious as to where Ken Hesser is from. I assume Philadelphia, which would lead to the biased result of his comparison of Philly versus Pittsburgh (column, Feb.26), but correct me if I am wrong.

I have lived half my life in Philly and the other half in Pittsburgh and still travel between the two, so perhaps I can offer some unbiased feedback on a few items in the column.

• Round 1: Why you chose the "O", I will never know. Perhaps you should have chosen something that is unique to Pittsburgh like Primanti Brothers. There is nothing quite like a sandwich with fries and cole slaw.
  

  Yes, you can't get as good of a cheesesteak as you can in Philly, but I CAN get one in Pittsburgh.
  

  Winner: Back to Pittsburgh
  

• Round 4: Newscasts -- Channel 6 puts on a good newscast, but lets face it, Jim Gardner is aging. I hope you don't base Pittsburgh newscasts on WPXI, that we get here on campus, because they are the absolute worst.
  

  WTAE in Pittsburgh puts on an excellent newscast with young fresh faces such as Andy Pearson, and Sally Wiggin is one of the best. Plus, the sports report on KDKA, that sometimes is so extensive that they need to take a commercial break in between to show all the sports, puts everyone to shame.
  

  Winner: The nod goes to Pittsburgh
  

• Round 7: Philly Sports fans versus Pittsburgh. Understanding that I am the most diehard Flyers fan around, it pains me to say that you have made an unfair comparison. Pittsburgh is a DIEHARD football town. If you are going to talk about empty baseball stadiums, how `bout if we also talk about Eagles blackouts on TV because you can't fill the stadium? Or companies having to purchase up leftover Eagles playoff tickets as a good gesture to put the game on TV?
  

  This category is a tie.
  

• Round 9: Rocky was a great movie. I believe they filmed a minute or so in Philly. Why Flashdance? You should have chosen Silence of the Lambs for a fair comparison, a movie filmed entirely in Pittsburgh (also look at the number of films made in the city).
  

  Why don't you look up the number of Academy Awards that baby took home?
  

  Winner: The Hollywood nod is a runaway for PIttsburgh.
  

Thanks.

Jeff Shumas
sophomore-management science and information systems

Multicultural focus alienates cultures

When I go to register for classes, I am told that I have to take some diversity focused classes. They say it is to increase my understanding and help raise tolerance of other cultures.

Maybe so, but in the long run, it is doing more harm than good.

Anytime a group of people step away from another and say that they are different, something happens. These people start becoming alienated from each other. Instead of celebrating their differences and using it to bring them closer together, it drives them apart.

Instead of pointing out differences, we should celebrate what we as humans have in common. Celebrating the similarities that all cultures face is the best way to bring us together.

Don't get me wrong, there is a lot to say for celebrating our differences.

Another group's culture can be fascinating. That is why people travel to far away places.

But in the end, isn't it what we have in common that we find greatest about each other?

Tom Bux
junior-American studies
Steven Daniel Markle
senior-general science