Calcium is not just for elderly people who worry about osteoporosis or the risk of fractures. It is an essential mineral that helps your muscles contract and beat your heart, your blood to die, and yes, your bones to become stronger. It also keeps you from gaining weight, because the more calcium is in your diet, the more likely you are to burn energy instead of storing it as fat.
Here are the best plant-based foods to help you get the calcium you need when you are not eating dairy (either because your plant base is as lactose intolerant) and you need to pay attention. But let’s first look at the importance of calcium and the right amount to shoot up.
It is difficult to get enough calcium on any diet, much less a plant-based than non-dairy product. The recommended daily intake of calcium is about 1200 mg to 1300 mg per day, which is equivalent to two to three parts of milk, if the equivalent. Calcium plays an important role in bone strength and also contributes to muscle accumulation, nerve transmission, cellular signaling, and prevention of weight gain, among other essential functions in the body,
Even for someone who consumes dairy cattle, it is difficult to meet these requirements. Add a special diet, such as a dairy-free, low-fat, plant-based diet to the mix, and your calcium intake generally falls well below the recommended daily requirements.
Calcium builds strong bones and signals Fat cells to burn more easily
Most of us will live into old age when osteoporosis becomes a risk, and suddenly enough calcium jumps to the top of your list of priorities for diet, where it belongs. In a lab study, the more calcium you have in your fat cells, the more likely they are to burn as fuel.
The good news is that it is actually possible to get enough calcium, if you know where to look, build bone strength and prevent weight gain. Your best bet: head to the produced aisle.
First of all, we can lower those ambitious target numbers: In a Harvard Medical School review article, the recommended daily value was challenged and the recommended calcium is daily between 500 mg and 700 mg. This equates to reaching more than one to two servings of calcium-rich foods per day. What exactly is a portion of dairy replacement?
Here are a few examples of one-part plant-based dairy replacement:
- 8 ounces (225 grams) of frozen collard greens, frozen kale, or edamame
- 1 cup fortified plant-based milk
- A half cup of tofu prepared with lime
There are other foods, such as oranges, dried fruits, nuts (especially almonds), and broccoli that contain smaller amounts of lime, and if you follow your daily daily amount of calcium, it adds up quickly. Recent evidence suggests that a plant-based diet may provide adequate amounts of calcium and vitamin D. The study concludes that “there is no evidence that a plant-based diet, if chosen carefully to maintain adequate levels of calcium and vitamin D, has potentially detrimental effects on bonke God bless you.”
Farm-based diets are healthier choices than one that skips fruit, such as Keto
Other research shows plant-based diets may lower the risk of osteoporosis, even in postmenopausal women who are most at risk. What is interesting is that when it comes to bone strength, consuming fruit seems to provide a greater advantage than vegetables, making ketogenic diets in the long run that exclude fruits a less healthy diet choice. The exact mechanism is not yet known, but it may include the interaction between phytonutrients, prebiotics and probiotics and immune and inflammatory responses in the body.
Are there any risks involved in sticking to the lower recommended amounts of 500 mg to 700 mg of calcium per day? Studies have shown that increased calcium intake in general does not increase bone strength or prevent osteoporotic fractures, although it may reduce the development of atherosclerosis. However, there is a critical level of 400 mg, below which the risk of vertebral fracture increases. Interestingly, weight-bearing exercise is an often overlooked and important participant in bone health. Regular exercise reduces, in fact, the risk of developing vertebral fractures, regardless of the calcium intake above the 400 mg threshold. The best bet, a study found in Italy, is to both get exercise and eat calcium-rich foods.
Supplementation of calcium intake may do more harm than good because calcium supplements, especially above 500 mg per day, have been found to increase calcification of coronary arteries, with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, in particular myocardial infarctions. So while eating more calcium does not seem to increase the risk of heart disease, taking it in supplement form does so as well.
In addition, calcium supplements, especially when combined with vitamin D supplements, may increase the risk of kidney stones, one study found. So how can you get calcium on a plant-based diet? Just eat these even foods as often as possible.
Here are the 7 best sources of calcium in a plant-based diet:
In addition, calcium supplements, especially when combined with vitamin D supplements, may increase the risk of kidney stones, one study found. So how can you get calcium on a plant-based diet? Just eat these seven foods as often as possible.
Here are the 7 best sources of calcium in a plant-based diet:
1. Green leafy greens like collet greens and peasant cake
2. Soy-based products such as tofu prepared with calcium sulfate
3. Legumes such as edamame, chickpeas and white beans
4. Calcium fortified plant-based milk and yogurt
5. Calcium fortified breakfasts
6. Sesame seeds as Tahini
7. Notes especially almonds
And keep in mind that to maintain healthy bones, add daily exercise to your routine, preferably outdoors to get vitamin D through skin exposure to sunlight for short periods of time each day. Meanwhile, habits that damage your bones, such as smoking, excessive alcohol consumption and consumption of soft drinks.
Dr. Antonella Grima, MD, is a public health specialist and registered nutritionist. She earned her Master of Science in Public Health and a postgraduate degree in Nutrition and Dietetics. Their areas of interest include prevention, chronic diseases, and intestinal health.
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