Calcium In A Plant Based Diet Essay, Research Paper

Many people choose to avoid milk and other dairy

products because they contain fat, cholesterol,

allergenic proteins, lactose, and frequently traces

of contamination. Milk is also linked to juvenile-onset

diabetes, and other serious conditions. Happily,

there are plenty of other, safer and more reliable

sources of calcium.

Keeping your bones strong depends more on preventing

the loss of calcium from your body than on boosting

your calcium intake.

Some cultures consume no dairy products and typically

ingest only 175 to 475 milligrams of calcium per day.

However, these people generally have low rates of

osteoporosis. Many scientists believe that exercise

and other factors have more to do with osteoporosis

than calcium intake does.

Calcium in the Body. Almost all the calcium in the

body is in the bones. There is a tiny amount in the

bloodstream which is responsible for important

functions such as muscle contractions, maintenance of

the heartbeat, and transmission of nerve impulses.

We constantly lose calcium from our bloodstream

through sweat and other excretions. It is renewed

with calcium from the bones. In this process, bones

continually lose calcium. This bone calcium must be

replaced from food.

Calcium needs change throughout life. Up to the age

of 30 or so, we consume more calcium than we lose.

Adequate calcium intake during childhood and

adolescence is especially important. Later, the body

begins to slip into ?negative calcium balance? and

the bones start to lose more calcium than they take up.

The loss of too much calcium can lead to soft bones or

osteoporosis.

How rapidly calcium is lost depends, in part, on the

kind and amount of protein you eat as well as other

diet and life-style choices.

Reducing Calcium Loss. A number of factors affect

calcium loss from the body:

? Diets that are high in protein cause more

calcium to be lost through the urine. Pro

tein from animal products is much more

likely to cause calcium loss than protein

from plant foods. This may be one

reason that vegetarians tend to have

stronger bones than meat eaters.

? Caffeine increases the rate at which

calcium is lose through urine.

? Alcohol inhibits calcium absorption.

? The mineral boron may slow the loss

of calcium from bones.

? Exercise slows bone loss and is

one of the most important factors in

maintaining bone health.

Sources of Calcium:

Exercise and a diet moderate in protein will

help to protect your bones. People who eat

plant-based diets and who lead an active life-style

probably have lower calcium needs. However, calcium

is an essential nutrient for everyone. It is important

to eat calcium-rich foods every day. The following

chart will tell you the calcium content of many foods.

Legumes Calcium (mg)

Chickpeas, 1 cup, canned………………..78

Great Northern beans, 1 cup boiled………121

Green beans, 1 cup boiled………………..58

Green peas, 1 cup boiled………………….44

Kidney beans, 1 cup boiled……………..50

Lentils, 1 cup boiled…………………………37

Lima beans, 1 cup boiled………………….52

Navy beans, 1 cup boiled……………….128

Pinto beans, 1 cup boiled…………………82

Soybeans, 1 cup boiled………………….175

Tofu, raw, firm – 1/2 cup………………….258

Vegetarian baked beans, 1 cup……….128

Wax beans, 1 cup canned…………….. 174

White beans, 1 cup boiled……………..161

If using ?Calcium Fortified? products, check the

source of the calcium.

Bibliography

Vegetarian Journal

Future Link

The Internet