Plant-Based Calcium Adapted from The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Vegan Living by Beverly Lynn Bennett and Ray Sammartano Last
month, we featured a number of different recipes that provided a
plant-based protein as a main ingredient. This week, we'll answer the
calcium question with a number of different sources and a recipe. You
can look up any one of the ingredients and find more recipes. First a
little bit about calcium...
The next most asked question of a vegan, after “where do you get your protein?” is "where do you get your calcium?" Oh, where do we begin?!
The U.S. RDA for calcium is between 800 and 1,200 milligrams, depending on your protein intake, but many feel that that number is too high. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends between 400 and 500 milligrams calcium daily—half of the U.S. RDA. Plant-based sources of calcium are generally more easily absorbed than animal sources because we can digest the plant-based foods easier and break them down and utilize the nutrients better. With concern over bone loss, not getting enough calcium is a real concern to many people. However, what they fail to realize is that high animal protein diets tend to leech calcium from bones (due to the acidity of that type of protein) while those who eat a vegetarian diet can actually eat less calcium because they don't have to fight the effect of animal protein on bone health.
In order to best absorb and assimilate calcium, you need to pay attention to the intake of other nutrients and minerals. Protein, sodium, and magnesium all play an important role. Magnesium and calcium both need to be present for proper absorption, generally in a 2:1 ratio, calcium to magnesium.
Now here’s a reason dairy is not the best source of calcium. The calcium-magnesium ratio in dairy products is not optimal so our bodies do not properly absorb the calcium it contains. Excess stores of calcium accumulate in our blood and urine and can cause kidney problems or failure or cause kidney and gall stones. All the more reason to incorporate plant-based calcium sources into your diet.
Some greens, like spinach, contain oxalic acid, which may also cause a problem for those who are susceptible to kidney stones and gall stones. If you’re sensitive, you might want to limit your consumption of certain leafy greens to several times a week. Also, drinking plenty of water can help prevent the formation of stones by diluting the concentration of oxalic acid and dissolved minerals in the urine.
The type of protein you consume can also impact your calcium levels. Proteins also have a negative effect on calcium stores because amino acids contain sulfur, which in turn affects the body’s pH balance. Plant-based proteins tend to have lower concentrations of sulfur-based amino acids and are more alkaline in nature. Meat, on the other hand, is very acidic, and the body reacts to re-balance itself by leeching alkaline calcium out of the bones to neutralize the acid. For every 1 gram protein in your diet, you can expect 1 milligram calcium to be lost or eliminated in your urine.
Plant-Based Powerhouses Many plant-based foods are rich in calcium. In the leafy green vegetable category, you have many choices, including, collards, kale, Swiss chard, lettuces, rhubarb, mustard and turnip greens, and even broccoli. Soy foods have naturally occurring calcium, though you want to be careful of how much soy you consume and in what form. (You should also know that they only soy you should be eating is organically grown soy. If you are eating non-organic soy, you can assume it’s genetically modified and we know THAT’s bad news!) In cereals and grains, calcium can be found in quinoa, amaranth, corn, wheat, and brown rice. And you might be surprised to learn that many sea vegetables, nuts, seeds, dried fruits, and even blackstrap molasses all contain significant amounts of calcium.
A small sampling of vegan foods that are high in calcium: 1 cup hijiki (a sea vegetable you can find at Whole Foods, Mrs. Greens or other health food stores) — 648 milligrams 1 cup tofu — 516 milligrams 1 cup cooked collard greens — 358 milligrams 10 medium figs — 270 milligrams 1 cup cooked spinach — 244 milligrams 1 cup cooked white beans — 160 milligrams
Other sources include: Almonds Artichoke Asparagus Broccoli Carrots Kale Lima Beans Peanuts Peas Pecans Spinach Walnuts Sunflower seeds Sesame seeds, tahini