FitSugar

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

Jenny Sugar — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 00:01:58 PDT

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

C&J Nutritionists' Advice on Calcium-Blocking Foods

Anna Monette Roberts — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 12:34:55 PDT

Willow Jarosh and Stephanie Clarke are registered dietitians and founders of C&J Nutrition. We consulted them to see if certain foods or beverages prevent calcium absorption and what you need to know to fulfill your daily dose.

FitSugar: Can food or beverages block calcium absorption, and why does this occur?
C&J Nutrition: Yes, certain foods/beverages can inhibit calcium absorption. Foods that contain oxalate can reduce the amount of calcium you absorb because the oxalate binds with calcium in your intestines. So, not as much calcium can be absorbed from your intestines and therefore passes right through you.

FS: Which foods block calcium absorption?
C&J: Foods that contain oxalates are rhubarb, beets, okra, spinach, Swiss chard, sweet potatoes, tea, chocolate, and soy products. Foods rich in phytates can also block absorption, and they include fiber-containing whole-grain products and wheat bran, beans, seeds, nuts, and soy isolates. But, it's not recommended that people stop eating these foods. As long as you eat a varied diet and get adequate calcium intake each day, the small amount of calcium absorption inhibition from phytates or oxalates shouldn't be a problem. In fact, the small amount of inhibition from these foods is even accounted for in the dietary reference intakes! Alcohol intake can reduce calcium absorption, but the amount of alcohol it would take to create an effect on calcium status isn't known.

FS: Which does the body absorb better: calcium from food or calcium from supplements?
C&J : Either. But keep in mind that our bodies can only absorb around 500-600mg of calcium at a time, so don't take your calcium supplement with a glass of milk. Bottom line: Don't avoid foods that contain oxalates or phytates, but be sure to get the recommended amount of calcium each day (1000mg for women between 19-50 years of age), and eat a daily variety of fruits, veggies, whole grains, beans, lean protein, and healthy fats.

7 Dairy-Free, Plant-Based Calcium Sources

FitSugar — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 15:10:35 PDT

The average woman requires 1,000-1,300 mg of calcium a day; and, while a serving of milk, cheese, or yogurt are easy ways to digest calcium, what if you are vegan or lactose-intolerant? Here are some unexpected plant-based foods that will help you load up on your calcium intake.

Curly Kale – About 3/4 cup of cooked curly kale offers 143 mg calcium.
Okra – Stir fry about eight okra for a dose of 88 mg calcium.
Red Kidney Beans – Add 1/2 cup of beans to a salad for 150 mg calcium.
Almonds – 12 whole almonds equates 62 mg calcium.
Tahini Paste – Spread one heaped teaspoon over toast like peanut butter for 129 mg calcium.
Apricots – Eat four small apricots for a midmorning snack to get 117 mg calcium.
Figs – Instead of dessert, indulge on four figs for a heaping 506 mg calcium.

If you are curious about your own daily calcium intake, try using the calcium calculator.

The Vitamin Deficiency Breastfeeding Moms Should Watch Out For

Leta Shy — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 10:15:30 PDT

Mom's choice of what to eat is important both during pregnancy and after baby has arrived. But while everyone warns her of the perils of drinking or caving into her cravings while pregnant, some moms are surprised to find out just how important their diets are when it's time to breastfeed.

A vegan French couple recently found out the sad way. The lack of nutrients in mom's milk meant that their baby suffered from serious vitamin B12 deficiency and eventually died. While the deprivation seems to have been accidental, the couple are now being charged with neglect and could face time in prison.

While the story is alarming, maintaining your vegan lifestyle as a breastfeeding mom is still possible with careful thought about what should be part of your diet. Read on for what you need to know about some essential nutrients after the break.

Invest in Your Bone Bank, and Do It Soon

FitSugar — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 13:30:03 PDT

On my last visit to my doctor, I was surprised to find out that bone strength peaks in women by the age of 35. After that, the body stops producing new bone and gradually loses bone mass. And in certain cases, bone loss can result in osteoporosis. Not only can osteoporosis result in a reduction of height, it leaves the body more susceptible to bone fractures. My doctor says that it's extremely important to maximize our bone strength now, to avoid the onset of problems later. Luckily, this can be done through proper diet and exercise.

Here are the two most important thing to consider for bone health:

Eating enough calcium and vitamin D is essential for healthy bones. Studies show that calcium and vitamin D are a must when it comes to bone health, and that we benefit more from eating these nutrients versus taking supplements. The RDI of calcium for women is 1,000 mg a day and for vitamin D, it's 200 to 400 IU.
Strength train for stronger bones. Weight bearing exercises will help make our bones stronger. Make sure to target areas that are susceptible to bone loss, like your shoulders, arms, spine, wrists, hips, and legs.

The Vitamin D Weight Loss Connection

FitSugar — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 13:30:14 PDT

We all (hopefully) know by now the secret to losing weight is to burn more calories than you consume. But eating the right foods doesn't hurt either. High fiber filling foods are a dieter's best friend, and a new Johns Hopkins/Bloomberg School for Public Health study highlights the importance of calcium and vitamin D for weight loss. The college student study participants who came closest to eating three servings of dairy a day along with an otherwise healthy diet gained less weight than their peers that ate little or no dairy. Added bonus: the dairy eaters also lost some belly fat. Yet the bone-building mineral calcium might not be assisting weight loss; chances are it's the vitamin D found in dairy.

Michele Stanten explains the connection between vitamin D and weight loss in her new book Walk Off the Weight:

Extra body fat holds on to vitamin D so that the body can't use it. This perceived deficiency interferes with the action of the hormone leptin, whose job is to tell your brain that you're full. And if you can't recognize when you're satiated, you're more likely to overeat.

Current recommendations for daily intake of the vitamin, also known as the sunshine vitamin since the body synthesizes it from contact with the sun's rays, is 200 IU, but many health practitioners think the amount should be upped to 1,000 IU daily. Obtaining sufficient vitamin D from natural food sources alone can be challenging, so taking a supplement if you're falling short is a good idea. And don't skip the egg yolks either! There's about 17 IU of vitamin D in one egg yolk.

Bone Up on Your Calcium Supplements

FitSugar — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 03:00:00 PDT

While eating calcium is better for your bones, it can be quite a challenge to eat the recommended 1,000 mg daily. That's where calcium supplements can lend a healthy hand. Both calcium carbonate, found in Tums, and calcium citrate in Citracal work well as supplements. However, calcium carbonate is best absorbed with food and generally has more calcium per tablet, which means it is more cost effective since you can take fewer pills. If you're the forgetful type though, calcium citrate might work better for you. Your body absorbs it well with or without food, so you can take it anytime during your day and reap all the benefits of the supplement.

Do you take a calcium supplement? If so, do you know which version of the mineral you take?

Source

How to Eat 1,000 mg of Calcium a Day

FitSugar — Fri, 22 May 2009 09:00:00 PDT

Calcium does the body good. Not only does it build strong bones and teeth, it aids with muscle function and helps keep your heart beating regularly. While there are plenty of food sources for this bone-building mineral other than dairy, I am not sure I have been meeting the recommended daily intake (RDI) of 1,000 milligrams. Supplements are always an option, but getting calcium from food sources is better for your bones. With all this in mind, I decided to track what I ate for a day to see if I was meeting the RDI.

See how I did when you

Calcium, Iron, and Fiber - Oh My!

FitSugar — Wed, 20 May 2009 03:30:00 PDT

We eat for our health and to feed our our bones, blood, and bowels, but some nutrients just don't play well with others. Take calcium and iron for instance. Calcium can reduce your ability to absorb iron by as much as 50 percent. However, calcium only interferes with non-heme iron, which comes from plant-based foods, not with heme iron, found in meat. This interplay between calcium and iron is really only important if you suffer from anemia, because although short-term iron absorption is reduced by calcium, studies have found that iron stored in the blood is not.

When it comes to calcium, fiber binds to the mineral, reducing its absorption. Studies have found that wheat fiber reduces calcium absorption by about half. If you're like most folks and you aim to get a jump-start on fulfilling your recommended daily intake of fiber and calcium with your bowl of breakfast cereal, choose cereals that feature oats or other grains since they don't seem to block the calcium.

Ultimately, if you eat a well balanced diet and aim to eat your nutrients rather than find them in supplements, you're probably getting all the vitamins, minerals, and fiber you need. Just think of this post as a little food for thought.

7 Foods For Strong Bones

FitSugar — Fri, 08 May 2009 11:00:00 PDT

Foods high in calcium and vitamin D are essential for building strong bones. The RDI of calcium for women is 1,000 mg a day and for vitamin D, it's 200 to 400 IU. Here are five foods to include in your diet to improve your bone density, which will prevent osteoporosis.

Source

Meal	Food	Calcium
Breakfast	Two whole grain waffles	100 mg
	1/2 cup plain lowfat yogurt	200 mg
	1/4 cup lowfat milk in coffee	78 mg
Snack	1 ounce of almonds	70 mg
	1 cup whole strawberries	23 mg
Lunch	1 spinach and jack cheese tamale	320 mg
	1/2 cup carrots	22 mg
	2 ounces avocado	3 mg
Dinner	Grilled chicken breast	12 mg
	1 cup steamed broccoli	45 mg
	1 cup arugula	45 mg
	1 ounce goat cheese	85 mg
	1 slice whole grain bread	20 mg
	TOTAL CALCIUM INTAKE	1,023mg