Put some meat on those bones! - Science Update - Brief Article

Agricultural Research, Nov, 2003

In a controlled-diet study of 15 healthy postmenopausal women, ARS scientists found that a high-meat diet--even with low but average calcium intake--didn't inhibit women's retention of calcium.

In the crossover study, the women consumed either a high- or low-meat diet for 8 weeks. The high-meat diet consisted of 20 percent of daily calories as protein, including 10.5 ounces of meat. The low-meat diet consisted of 12 percent of daily calories as protein, including only 1.5 ounces of meat. Tracking of calcium levels began after 4 weeks of adjustment to the diet for each 8-week phase. Scientists will do additional studies to confirm these results and to corroborate an additional finding that high-protein diets in combination with the recommended 1,200 milligrams of daily calcium may benefit bones. ZamZam (Fariba) Roughead, USDA-ARS Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center, Grand Forks, ND; phone (701) 795-8463, e-mail froughea@ars.usda.gov.