Is it true that dairy products make our bodies more acidic, and this is bad for our bones?

There is a theory that the protein and phosphate in dairy products make them ‘acid-producing’. This acid environment could then cause minerals to be leached from the bones in order to neutralise the acid, which would in turn compromise bone health. However, the science does not support this theory and, in fact, it is established that protein and phosphorus are essential nutrients for bone health. Additionally, the role of calcium in developing and maintaining bones is well-recognised and dairy foods such as milk, yogurt and cheese are rich in calcium.

Extra Information:

It is established that although a high-protein diet may increase urinary calcium excretion this does not result in a negative skeletal calcium balance or bone loss and that protein only increases urinary calcium excretion when calcium intakes are low. In fact there is a large body of evidence to show that adequate protein intake positively impacts on bone health by several mechanisms, including increased calcium absorption. Although a high intake, if accompanied by low calcium (in a ratio of about 4:1) may be deleterious to bone, the phosphorus to calcium ratio of milk (0.8:1) is favourable for promoting calcium reabsorption, which can be beneficial to bone.