Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Calcium
Calcium.
You need it to keep your bones healthy.
In fact, other than vitamin C it might be the most widely known benefit of any nutrient.
And a big part of that is diet.
I’m a big proponent of the Mediterranean diet which includes yogurt, cheese, milk, and other dairy products.
But is dairy the best source for calcium?
For full context and a more in depth answer to that question, I suggest reviewing part 1 on this topic. You can find that here: Is Dairy Free Harmful?
In short, we need calcium for healthy bones. So, being dairy free does come at a risk to musculoskeletal health if we aren’t being mindful about adequate intake of calcium from other sources and/or supplements.
Before we go into further detail, let’s do a quick review of calcium.
What Are The Benefits Of Calcium?
Calcium has a number of different benefits for your health.
Here are a few of them.
It Keeps Your Bones Healthy
That was the very beginning of this article, but it bears repeating.
Your body uses calcium to form the structure of your bones.
It plays an important role in keeping them strong throughout your life.
That’s part of why it’s so important for children to get enough calcium.
Calcium deficiency as a child can lead to a condition called rickets, where their bones become soft and weak.
Thankfully, rickets is rare here in the United States.
It Helps Prevent Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a condition where your bones become weak and brittle.
This increases your risk of fractures.
Making sure you get enough calcium and vitamin D can help you avoid osteoporosis.
This is particularly important if you’re postmenopausal, since hormonal changes put you at greater risk of calcium loss.
It’s important to note that nobody credible recommends taking calcium supplements as the only way to prevent osteoporosis.
Supplements are secondary to dietary intake.
In other words, food first.
In fact, a 2016 panel of 18 different experts recommends against exclusively using supplements to prevent osteoporosis and fractures.
It Supports Your Muscles
Have you moved your muscles lately?
If so, you have calcium to thank.
Every time your muscles contract or relax, your body uses calcium to do it.
When a nerve stimulates a muscle, your muscle cells release calcium, which allows them to contract.
If you don’t get enough calcium, this can lead to muscle cramps and spasms, among other issues.
Dietary Sources Of Calcium
So now that we’ve covered some (but not all!) of the benefits of calcium, let’s take a look at some dietary sources of calcium.
Here they are listed in order of how much calcium they have per serving, according to the National Institutes of Health:
Plain low fat yogurt– 415 mg
1.5 oz mozzarella, part skim – 333 mg
3 oz sardines, canned in oil with bones – 325 mg
1 cup nonfat milk – 299 mg
1 cup fortified soy milk – 299 mg
1 cup whole milk – 276 mg
1/2 cup firm tofu made with calcium sulfate – 253 mg
3 oz canned salmon with bones – 181 mg
1/2 cup soft tofu made with calcium sulfate – 253 mg
1/2 cup boiled, drained spinach– 123 mg
1/2 cup fresh or boiled turnip greens – 99 mg
1 cup cooked kale – 94 mg
1 cup raw shredded bok choy – 74 mg
1/2 cup raw broccoli – 21 mg
As you can see above, there are dairy sources and non dairy sources.
But let’s look at some equivalent quantities.
You might see headlines like “these foods have as much calcium as milk” and I want you to be able to navigate the noise.
Take the cup of yogurt that equals 415 mg of calcium.
A dried fig has 13.6 mg.
So, for the values to be equivalent you’d have to eat about 30 figs.
Don’t get me wrong, dried figs are yummy, and they’re high in fiber as well, but 30?!
That’s likely going to cause digestive distress and be a massive load of sugar.
Usually, a serving of dried fruit is about 2 TBS (3-5 figs).
30 is 10 times a normal serving size.
Does it augment your calcium and every little bit helps? Yes!
But as a primary source, they just won’t cut it.
To summarize what a typical calcium rich day could look like, it might be:
1 cup of yogurt - 415 mg
1 serving of sardines - 325 mg
2 cups of kale - 188 mg
A dish with ½ cup of tofu - 253 mg
This gives you a total of 1181 mg of calcium for the day, which is plenty for most people.
Does Grass Fed Vs Grain Fed Dairy Matter For Calcium?
We know there are benefits of grass fed beef vs. grain fed.
We’re also learning about the differences between grass-fed versus conventional dairy.
But does grass fed vs grain fed dairy make a difference in terms of calcium?
This is a big question and an area of emerging research.
Currently, we don’t have a lot of robust data looking at plant diversity and how that affects livestock and human health.
We also don’t currently have much on the differences between intensive feedlot systems and pasture raised animals.
However, there are some things we do know.
Differences In Nutritional Makeup
In 2013, researchers in Spain found that organic milk had less iodine and more manganese than its conventional counterpart.
But what we don’t know is how this relates to human health.
Does it make it healthier?
Does the reduction in herbicides and pesticides have a positive cumulative effect?
Feeding Systems Affect Nutritional Quality And Taste
A 2019 study found that grass fed vs grain fed dairy are quite a bit different.
Currently, there’s research to show that pastured dairy has a higher fat and protein content compared to a feedlot system.
Additionally, diet affects flavor.
This is the terroir that is often spoken about in the food world.
Grass fed milk will tend to taste grassy, cowy, and “barny” versus grain-fed milk which will taste sweet and malty.
Does eating this sort of dairy result in a different health outcome?
I don’t think we have quit enough evidence quite yet to make any definitive statements there.
It’s worth noting that the studies on dairy don’t differentiate based on their source.
I’d be surprised if it was anything beyond easily accessible supermarket milk, yogurt or cheese.
Agriculture Has An Environmental Impact
That should come as no surprise.
Grass fed dairy can be part of a regenerative approach to agriculture because it uses grazing animals to help replenish the health of the soil.
Regenerative practices include things like:
Using cover crops
Low tilling
Animal grazing
This can help rebuild and restore soil health and resilience.
It also has the benefit of sequestering greenhouse gasses.
So, What’s The Conclusion?
In short, I don’t think it’s a far stretch to say that the health of the soil translates to greater nutrient density in our food.
That is my conviction and what shapes my personal choices as an eater.
I think we’ll continue to learn and have more evidence to build around that concept.
I also think two things can be true.
Dairy can have a benefit to health.
And
Dairy can be challenging ecologically.
Where we land in that tension is a combination of the data we have now, values, and personal belief.
There are groups doing work in this area and I highly recommend checking out these resources:
Should You Take A Calcium Supplement?
Before we end, it’s important to touch on supplementation.
What form of calcium is best?
Should calcium supplements be taken with food?
Do calcium supplements have to be taken with vitamin D or magnesium?
In general, there are two forms of calcium supplements: calcium citrate and calcium carbonate.
You usually don’t need to take as much calcium carbonate, because you get more elemental calcium in each dose.
However, it’s harder to digest and is associated with more stomach upset, according to this report from the National Library of Medicine.
On the other hand, calcium citrate can be taken on an empty stomach.
This is because it’s less dependent on stomach acid for absorption.
So which option is best?
Calcium carbonate is cost effective and is best taken with meals.
But if one of the following is true for you, it’s best to go with calcium citrate between meals:
If you have achlorhydria
If you have irritable bowel disease
If you’re taking acid suppressing medications
It’s also recommended to divide up your doses, and each dose shouldn’t exceed 500 mg at a time.
Of course, these are just general guidelines.
If you’re considering calcium supplements, it’s a good idea to book your FREE introductory call with Wild Lemon Health today.
We can help guide you in how to optimize your calcium supplementation.
What About Vitamin D?
Vitamin D is a crucial nutrient when it comes to bone and muscle health.
In practice, I think of calcium and vitamin D separately.
Let me explain.
If we’re going to supplement with calcium, we’re essentially filling in a gap between recommended daily intake and average dietary intake.
With vitamin D, the general recommendation to sustain anti osteoporotic treatments is to achieve a level above 30 ng/ml.
There’s benefit beyond just bone and muscle health to have adequate vitamin D levels, so screening and supplementing to sufficiency is the preferred approach.
What About Magnesium?
I could find very little on magnesium enhancing calcium absorption.
In fact, research has found that calcium may decrease absorption of iron, zinc and magnesium.
Although this doesn’t seem to matter as much if you have enough calcium.
Magnesium does have a role in muscular function and bone health, but we don’t quite have enough data to say supplementation will reduce fractures or falls.
There may be other reasons to use magnesium, but focusing on food for bones is likely the best way to start.
Book Your Appointment With Wild Lemon Health Today
Are you at risk of osteoporosis and want to keep your bones healthy?
Not sure where to get the best calcium for your diet?
If so, I’m Dr. Antonella Aguilera-Ruiz, a naturopathic doctor in Sacramento, and I’m here to help.
If you’re not sure naturopathic medicine is right for you, no problem – I’ve heard that before.
That’s why I offer FREE 15 minute introductory consultations.
You’ll get the chance to ask any questions you may have about my approach, talk about your health issues, and from there we can explore the next steps.
Book your FREE introductory call with me, Dr. Antonella Aguilera-Ruiz, ND, and take your first step toward a healthier, more vibrant you.
