Calcium in the vegan diet

Calcium is a mineral, the most abundant element found in our body in quantities> 5g, more precisely 1.5-2kg of calcium, out of which 99% is stored in bones and teeth . The other 1% is mainly used for the acid-base balance in the body, and when we do not have enough calcium in the diet to correct the acidic environment, it is extracted from the bones, which can increase the risk of osteoporosis. So, serum calcium in the blood often stays constant in the body, by using bone deposits.

Calcium requirement is 1000-1300mg per day, ,depending on gender and age. It is not recommended to exceed the 2000mg limit per day as an adult…

Source: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Calcium-HealthProfessional/

Foods that contain calcium are diverse

• of animal origin: dairy (especially yogurt, milk, but also some types of cheese), sardines, salmon. However, we must keep in mind that excess animal protein is acidifying for the body, so a lot of the amount of calcium dairy gives the body is used to balance the acid-base balance. Often, if the food is very acidifying (such as old cheese), the body also uses the reserves in the bones… when the net calcium in the body can remain at 0 or in debt.
• plant source: soy milk (or other plants milk) with added calcium, tofu, broccoli, kale, bok choi and all that means green leaves, black beans, soybeans, whole grains, chia seeds, sesame (or sesame paste, also called tahini), sunflower seeds, carob powder, figs, oranges, blueberries, blackcurrants, almonds, sweet potatoes. In the plant world there are calcium eliminators too: coffee, cocoa, smoking, alcohol and fried foods, which are acidifying the body.

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It is interesting to know that we absorb about 30% of the calcium in food, the rest being binded to phytates, oxalates (antinutrients in food), fats and other elements that are eliminated from the body without being absorbed. It has been found that oxalates negatively affect calcium absorption, but the greens that contain them have many other benefits, so they should not be removed from the diet. However, if you have calcium deficiency problems, you can replace certain green foods with those with a lower oxalate content:

• Foods with low oxalate content: broccoli, bok choy, kale, napa cabbage, sorrel, mustard leaves;
• Foods with medium oxalate level: arugula;
• Oxalate-rich foods: beet leaves, spinach.

What would a calcium-rich vegan feast look like?

	Breakfast	Lunch	Snacks	Dinner
Day 1	tofu omelet with a slice of whole wheat bread	black bean curry with a kale and pita salad	an orange	green salad with raw vegetables and tahini sauce with lemon (or sprinkled sesame)
Day 2	a bowl of fruit with calcium rich soy yogurt	spinach dish with chickpeas and polenta	dried figs (about 6)	vegetable sticks with hummus
Day 3	a fruit smoothie with 1 tablespoon of sesame and calcium rich soy milk	vegetable stew with sweet potatoes and amaranth	a closed handful of almonds	spinach roll with tofu
Day 4	porridge with figs and blueberries, with topping of chia and sunflower seeds	pasta with broccoli, tofu and vegan cheese sauce	a cup of ‘hot chocolate’ of calcium rich soy milk, carob powder and a little agave syrup	vegan black bean burger with salad on the side

It is important to include fortified foods in Calcium twice a day, which could bring between 200-300mg of calcium per serving (read the label, because the products are different): 1 cup plant based milk, 200g tofu in calcium sulfate brine, 1 cup orange juice with added calcium (even though I do not recommend using fruit juice constantly), 1 natural soy yogurt with added calcium. You can take the rest of up to 1000mg from the basic foods listed above.

What are the benefits of calcium in the body?

Some of the roles of calcium in the body are:

• muscle contraction (and magnesium relaxation);
• blood clotting and wound healing;
• cell permeability, being an important factor in feeding cells with nutrients;
• bone structure, as you may well already know.

Too much calcium can have serious effects on the body: constipation and bloating may be some signs, but other more serious effects can be the appearance of kidney stones or petrification of blood vessels due to hypercalcemia. However, these extreme cases are rarer.

Recommendations

• Calcium can interfere with the absorption of other elements in the body, such as iron and zinc. So, if you take iron and calcium / zinc supplements, take them a few hours away;
• Try to have in your diet plenty of plant foods, from the living world, and reduce the consumption of meat, matured cheese, pastries, sweets, which are strongly acidic, to max 2-3 times a week. The recommendation is made for those who have problems with calcium levels, but it is good to be taken into account by everyone else for a better acid-base balance and avoidance of chronic diseases that may occur as a result (unfortunately cancer develops in an acidic environment!);
• Make sure to reduce the consumption of other calcium eliminators: coffee, cocoa, smoking, alcohol, and fried foods.
• Soak nuts, seeds and dried beans in water for several hours to increase calcium absorption and eliminate some of the antinutrients;
• Enjoy the sun! Vitamin D is essential for calcium absorption in the bones;
• Exercise daily for better calcium absorption in the bones and a reduced risk of osteoporosis;
• Supplement calcium only if needed and on the doctor's recommendation. Remember that too much calcium can have negative effects on the cardiovascular system and increases the risk of kidney stones;
• As always, a balanced and diverse diet is key!

Sources:

• Calcium – Fact Sheet for Health Professionals: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Calcium-HealthProfessional/#en1
• 8 Fast Facts About Calcium: https://www.healthline.com/health/8-fast-facts-about-calcium#supplements
• Calcium Controversy — Why Dietary Sources Trump Supplements: https://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/070113p50.shtml
• Calcium Bioavailability of Calcium Carbonate Fortified Soymilk Is Equivalent to Cow’s Milk in Young Women: https://academic.oup.com/jn/article/135/10/2379/4669853
• Oxalate Content of Foods and Its Effect on Humans: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24393738/
• Milk intake and risk of mortality and fractures in women and men: cohort studies: https://www.bmj.com/content/349/bmj.g6015
• Calcium Content of Foods: https://www.ucsfhealth.org/education/calcium-content-of-foods

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Lavinia Dinca

Nutritionist