How Vegans Get Enough Calcium

A Day in the Life: How a Vegan Eats Her Daily Calcium

September 15, 2011

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by Jenny Sugar 5

I was vegan for six years after college, and if one more person asked me how I got enough calcium, I was going to scream! While it's true that dairy products are great sources of this valuable nutrient, it's not the only source. Follow a vegan throughout her day and find out how she gets well over the 1,000 milligrams of calcium needed each day.

Source: Thinkstock

1 / 8

by Jenny Sugar 5

Source: Thinkstock

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5 Comments

2570492 1 year 4 weeks

Kashi GoLean is not vegan.

SaraNoH 1 year 34 weeks

I'd also like to point out that while spinach may seem like a lovely calcium source, the lack of bioavailability of it reduces absorption to only 5% or so.... Also that no matter how hars you try, no matter how much calcium you eat, you'd belucky to absorb 500 mg at 1 time, more like 300 mg, and you can't absob more than 1000mg a day anyways.

scullyisagoddess 1 year 35 weeks

Thanks for the article! Makes me feel more confident in my veganism. On a side note to anyone--vegan or otherwise--eating specific products or supplements for their calcium content, be advised that tricalcium phosphate is not as bioavailable as calcium carbonate. Calcium carbonate is, however, as bioavailable as the calcium in cow's milk. Stonyfield O'Soy yogurt has calcium carbonate I believe, so you are good to go there. http://jn.nutrition.org/content/135/10/2379.full

zenpawn 1 year 35 weeks

Just to follow up on Heather's comment. Here's the post from which the image she references originates: http://www.zenpawn.com/vegblog/2010/08/15/osoy-its-not-vegan/ Thanks, -Erin (zenpawn)

fortheloveofkale 1 year 35 weeks

First off, kudos to you, Jenny! Thank you for representing us vegans in a positive light, showing that it is possible to obtain necessary nutrients from plant-based sources. However, I have one bone to pick with you. O'Soy yogurt is, in fact, not vegan. It contains live active cultures derived from milk (see the vanilla's label here: http://zenpawn.com/images/osoyyogurt.jpg). I just wanted to inform you and your readers who are equally passionate about vegan living! Stay lovely, Heather