Calcium Rich Foods Are Low Glycemic Foods

Dairy products are calcium rich foods and they are on the list of low glycemmic foods. However, when you add sugar they are not low glycemic so you need to be discriminating and choose the right ones in moderate portions. Calcium rich foods are good for you with lots of health benefits.

Dairy products have saturated fats but remember you do need some omega 6s or saturated fats. You can create a glycemic load with milk if you drink too much so be cautious. You are much better off getting your calcium rich foods from the cultured dairy products, cheeses, yogurt, buttermilk, kefir and cottage cheese. These are high sources of calcium but be sure they are high quality with very little added sugar if any. Save your milk to put on your cereal in the morning. Of course, any list of calcium rich foods needs to also include the dark leafy greens, broccoli, salmon, sardines, seafood, prunes, almonds, asparagus, cabbage, kale, sesame seeds and soybeans.

In other cultures people eat only dairy products or calcium rich foods that are cultured or fermented. There are sound health reasons for this although before industrialization the reason was because it was the only way to preserve dairy products. The process of lacto-fermentation, as with cheese, yogurt, kefir, cottage cheese, whey, cream cheese and sour cream requires the lactic-acid-producing bacteria to digest and break down both milk sugar (lactose) and milk protein (casein.) This produces enough friendly bacteria to inactivate all the degenerating bacteria, a process that also renders the cultured dairy much easier to digest.

Many people have sensitivities to the casein and lactose in milk but can tolerate high quality yogurt and some cheeses which are also sources of calcium. Goat's milk cheese and cheese made from sheep's milk are also much easier to digest. Another argument in favor of goat and sheep cheese is that these animals graze on grass and are raised without hormones and antibiotics which makes the cheese a higher quality than the cheese made from cow's milk unless it's organic and the cows are grass fed.

Other healthy alternatives for cow's milk are almond milk and soy milk, if you can find them unsweetened without refined sugar. Almond milk is an excellent source of vitamin E and has a fair amount of calcium and vitamin D. The soy isoflavones in soymilk are thought to help preserve bone mass in women. These unsweetened plant milks are very low glycemic and great choices for smoothies or shakes.

Creme fraiche is also low glycemic because it is a fermented cream. It is delicious when added in small amounts to soups. It is one of those small indulgences that makes a big difference in flavor. The process of fermentation also restores many of the enzymes destroyed during pasteurization, enzymes that help us absorb calcium and other minerals. Regular consumption of cultured dairy products lowers cholesterol and protects against osteoporosis. We need the beneficial bacteria and lactic acid in our digestive tracts. These friendly bacteria are called probiotics and are beneficial in all sorts of ways. They prevent the overgrowth of yeast and other pathogens and synthesize vitamin K. They protect us against infectious diseases. What's not to like?

Dairy products are low glycemic; they are calcium rich foods and if cultured they supply you with beneficial bacteria which have all sorts of healthy benefits. Just like fruits and carrots, milk, including the milks made from soybeans and almonds, are better for you when you drink them sparingly. The big exception is if you make a smoothie or a milk shake a meal or one of your snacks. That's a great, healthy choice and can actually help you lose fat faster if you try replacing one meal a day with a smoothie or shake!