Thursday, May 06, 2010

Calcium in vegetarian and vegan diet

It is not necessary to drink milk or milk products to get enough calcium. Find out which high calcium vegetarian and vegan foods to eat instead. 

Calcium is the most abundant mineral in our body. It is mainly found in the bones (skeleton) and teeth. 

Vegans are less likely than vegetarians and meat-eaters to meet the North American recommendations for calcium. How much calcium vegans need in relation to milk-drinkers are not clear. It seems that as long as vegans get enough of other nutrients such as vitamin D and protein, they are more likely to break bones. 
Calcium Sources 

Calcium is found in some foods. When most people think of calcium, they think of milk and dairy products. But the calcium found in plant foods too. It is not necessary to drink milk to get enough calcium in the diet. 
Related Vegetarian Nutrition Information 

    * Vitamin D for vegetarians 
    * Vegetarian Food Guides 

Non-Dairy Vegan Calcium Sources

Most foods have some calcium in them. Calcium from some sources is absorbed better than others. Some vegetables are high oxalate, which lowers calcium absorption. Here are some of the best sources of vegan calcium: 

    * Low-oxalate leafy green vegetables (per half cup/125 cooked ml) broccoli (36 mg), Chinese cabbage / bok choy (84 mg), Collard greens (141 mg) and kale (47 mg) 
    * Black Trap molasses (137 mg per tablespoon/15 ml) 
    * Fortified fruit juice (371 mg per cup) 
    * Fresh orange (medium) (52 mg) 
    * Calcium-set tofu (mg per 130 half cup/125 ml) 
    * Almonds (92 mg per 1 / 4 cup) 
    * Beans (1 / 2 cup/125 ml) baked beans (64 mg), chickpeas (42 mg) 
    * Calcium-fortified soy milk (choose those fortified with calcium citrate or calcium carbonate rather than tricalcium phosphate which has lower absorption): varies, about 300 mg per cup 
    * Sesame seeds (89 mg per tablespoon) and tahini paste (64 mg per tablespoon) 
    * Figs (68 mg per 5 small dried figs) 
    * Rhubarb (174 mg per 1 / 2 cup cooked stalks) 
    * High-oxalate vegetables (high calcium, but absorption is limited): rhubarb (175 mg per 1 / 2 cup/125 ml), spinach (138 mg per 1 / 2 cup/125 ml) 

Lacto-vegetarian Dairy Calcium Sources

Vegetarians who do not drink milk does not tend to have trouble meeting the recommended daily calcium intake. Dairy products are high in calcium. Here are some high dairy calcium sources for lacto-vegetarians (vegetarians who eat dairy products). 

    * Milk (300 mg per cup) 
    * Yogurt (345 mg per cup) 
    * Cheese (204 mg per gram ounce/30) 
    * Cottage Cheese (155 mg per cup) 

Calcium Supplements

The body can only record about 400 mg of calcium at a time, so avoid higher dose supplements. Take calcium supplements with meals to increase absorption. 
Diet Calcium Needs 

The amount of calcium a person needs is influenced by age, if that person lives, their genetic background and culture / lifestyle. 

In North America, is the daily calcium recommendation for most adults 1,000 mg. Older adults (over age 50) needs 1200 mg per day, and teenagers and men who are pregnant or lactating (breastfeeding) need 1300 mg per day. 

The total cost impact, how much calcium is necessary for a person. Some foods have a tendency to increase calcium loss from the body.


Factors that can increase calcium loss include:

    * Eating large amounts of animal protein 
    * A low calcium-to-protein ratio 
    * High salt in the diet 
    * Low vitamin D in the diet or from sun 
    * Calcium's Role in Body 
    * Calcium contributes to bone and tooth health. It also helps the heart muscle function and helps the nerves to send signals to other nerves. Calcium in the diet is necessary for life. 

Calcium deficiency in vegans

While lacto-vegetarians who drink milk are just as likely as omnivorous to achieve the daily targets for calcium, vegans can fall short of the North American recommendations. Broken bones and osteoporosis are two serious consequences of low bone density, which may be due to a calcium deficiency. Some studies show that vegans are more likely to break bones, while others do not.

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