The Modern Drummer is not usually the source of articles reviewed or reprinted in our newsletter. But thanks to Honey Bloch, whose son and daughter-in-law are musicians, we saw an article called "The Road Warrior Responds" in the February 1999 issue of MD. In it, Bobby Rock, a drummer, responds very effectively to a number of criticisms of his previous article (also in MD) advocating a vegan diet on and off the road.

While Mr. Rock is not (to our knowledge) a nutritionist, he is well-informed and conveys his knowledge admirably. Here is his response to one reader who cited the "problems" with calcium and vitamin B12 on a vegan diet. "I certainly agree that proper rations of calcium and B-12 are important. I do not agree, however, that we must eat meat to obtain ample amounts of these nutrients.

There are two sides to the calcium coin with regard to getting [it] from non-vegetarian sources. First, an abundance of calcium can be found in many vegetarian foods, like leafy green vegetables, soy milk, dried fruits, oats, broccoli, cabbage, tofu, almond/raisin mix, chickpeas, sesame seeds, and most beans. If you eat a variety of these healthy foods, calcium should not be a concern. (In fact, gram for gram, many of these foods contain more calcium than milk.) . . . . Second, when you rely on animal sources for calcium, you may be defeating your own purpose. Several key studies in The Journal of Clinical Nutrition revealed that as these foods are metabolized they create a lot of acid in the body--which, in turn, is notorious for taking calcium from the bones in an effort to strike a pH balance in the blood. Perhaps this explains the Medical Tribune's findings from a 1984 study where they concluded that vegetarians had Ôsignificantly stronger bones.Õ

B12 is a bacterial-created vitamin found primarily in soil. In a perfect world, the microscopic soil particles that cling to raw garden vegetables (even after they have been washed) would be all we would ever need. However, given the current industrial production method used to grow and package our produce, we are clearly getting less B-12 than we normally would. Yes, meat-eaters are likely to get plenty of B-12 because cows have eaten plants with these particles clinging to them. But the negative ramifications of a meat-based diet far outweigh the benefits of picking up a little B-12. In fact, we require such a miniscule amount of B-12 that the organisms in our own mouths and intestines can usually reproduce an abundance of it. . . . Still, it certainly doesn't hurt to supplement. If you're not inclined to enjoy the variety of B-12 enriched soy milks and cereals, a basic multi-vitamin/mineral will be all you need."

[Ed. note: Both soy and rice milks come in varieties that are enriched with calcium and vitamins A, D, and B12. They are available in liter-sized aseptic packages in supermarkets and health food stores, and can be ordered by the case.]