It helps if you're into sardines and salmon - thanks to their edible bones, 100g of sardines delivers around as much calcium as a serve of milk (and a dose of healthy omega-3 fat too) and 100mg red salmon provides another 200mg. But given that most of us don't stir sardines into our coffee, there's a limit to how much canned fish you can pack into one day. Being a vegan shrinks the options even further - so what other good sources of bone boosting calcium are there to eat?
The easiest way is with calcium-fortified soy products, says Sydney dietitian Kate Marsh - many have calcium contents similar to regular dairy milk and yoghurt (but check the label because the content can vary).
"Three to four serves of these daily (e.g. soy milk on cereal, a tub of soy yoghurt as a snack and a glass of soy milk before bed) could meet most people's calcium needs," says Marsh, an Accredited Practising Dietitian and co-author of the Low GI Vegetarian Cookbook (Hachette Livre) "There's also calcium-fortified rice milk for those who don't eat soy."
But even without these soy or rice products, there are other calcium sources, she says - and with the RDIs for calcium now so high, it's worth knowing where else to find this mineral, even if you do eat dairy foods. Some of her picks are:
-Dried figs - five figs deliver almost 200mg calcium - and almonds (1/4 cup has 70mg).
-Tofu is a good source of calcium if it's set with calcium sulphate (around 150mg per 100g)
-2 slices of wholegrain toast with 2 tablespoons of almond butter has about 120mg calcium.
- Green vegetables that are good calcium sources include broccoli (1 cup cooked = around 94mg); 1 cup of bok choy, cooked = about 150mg; a cup of kale (if you can get it), cooked = around 179mg.
- 1 medium orange = 50mg calcium.
If you find it hard to get enough calcium via food, should you take a supplement?
Athough it's best to get calcium in food (because food has other nutrients), research suggests that calcium from supplements is absorbed as well as calcium from cow's milk says Marsh.
"It's best taken with food in doses of 600mg or less because you can only absorb so much at a time. If you were taking two 600mg tablets daily, for example, take one at breakfast and the other at dinner. "
What things affect how much calcium you absorb - or lose?
Some research suggests a high intake of animal protein may increase calcium excretion - although the link between protein and calcium isn't clear, says Marsh. "Salt can also increase calcium loss, while alcohol, caffeine and soft drinks can all have a negative effect on calcium balance. Smoking also increases the risk of osteoporosis, though we don't know why," she says. "But potassium (in fruits, vegetables and wholegrains) can help - some studies show that increased fruit and vegetable intake is linked to better bone density and reduced bone loss."
Healthy bones also need vitamin D (without it, your body can't use calcium). Getting older reduces your ability to make vitamin D from sun - if you're over 50 or spend little time in the sun, you may need a vitamin D3 supplement. And don't forget weight bearing exercise - including strength training - essential for strong bones.
Are soy foods safe?Most of the concern over soy has been for concentrated soy supplements, not foods, points out Marsh. "In general, research has shown many benefits from eating soy products including a lower risk of heart disease and some types of cancer.Having said that, it's not a good idea for anyone to eat too much of any one food - eating a wide variety of foods is an important part of healthy eating for everyone, whether they're vegetarian, vegan or otherwise. This applies to soy products as it does for other foods - vegetarians should get protein from a range of plant foods - legumes, nuts, seeds, wholegrains and soy products."
For more information about calcium foods go to Osteoporosis Australia at
http://www.osteoporosis.org.au/files/factsheets/OTH-7665-ENG.pdf or the Vegan Resource Group at http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/calcium.htm
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