Calci-UM?

You need it. You know you need it.

Why though? Who needs it? How much? From where? (especially if you’re dairy free!) What if you don’t get enough?

Why?

Calcium is used in your body for muscle contraction, cell signalling, the transmission of nerve impulses, the pacemaker quality of your heart and bone strength (but you knew that one!) Calcium is stored in your bones. If you don’t eat enough, your body will draw from your bone’s calcium stores. If prolonged, your bones will weaken, making you prone to fractures and breaks.

Who needs it?

In short: everyone. Especially kids, teens, young adults, women over 50 and men over 70. So... everyone.

How much do you need?

The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating (AGHE) recommends for healthy, non-pregnant adults:

• Men: 2.5 serves/day = 1000mg calcium (^ to 3.5 serves/day 70+ years)

• Women: 2.5 serves/day = 1000mg calcium (^ 4 serves/day 50+ years)

… Wait, how much?

A word on servings

‘Servings’ are a little confusing when you first use them. For example, one serve of grains is 1 slice of bread. That is not a recommendation to only eat one piece of bread/meal. It actually means that, over a day where we should aim for 6 serves of grains, 1 slice of bread will count as one of the 6. Got it?

What is a serve of calcium? (food with about 350-400mg calcium)

• ~ 1 cup (250ml) of milk - light milk has more calcium than regular or skim milk!

• ~ 2 slices (40g) of hard cheese e.g. cheddar - try for a reduced-fat option if managing your weight as cheese is quite high in kilojoules

• ~ ¾ cup (200g) yogurt - natural Greek is my pick

• ~ 1 cup (250ml) soy milk - choose one with 100mg of added calcium per 100ml

Non-dairy foods to bolster your calcium intake

• Tahini (1 tablespoon) = 66mg calcium

• Almonds (10 almonds) = 30mg calcium

• Dried figs (6 figs) = 160mg calcium

• Kale (100g) = 205mg

• Rocket (100g) = 170mg

• Lebanese cucumber (1 cup) = 68mg calcium

• Chickpeas, canned (1 cup) = 90mg calcium

• Soy beans, canned (1 cup) = 106mg calcium

A note on absorption inhibitors

I won’t pretend that Chemistry and Physiology are my thing, but there are a few things that can prevent us from absorbing the calcium we eat:

• Low vitamin D - sunshine, seafood and burpees (ok, exercise in general) all promote vitamin D

• Excessive caffeine and alcohol - it's that ‘m’ word… mmmm…moderation

• Diets high in phytates (e.g. some cereals and brans: https://www.precisionnutrition.com/all-about-phytates-phytic-acid) or oxalates (e.g. spinach, rhubarb)

• Certain medical conditions (e.g. coeliac disease, kidney disease) and certain medicines (e.g. prednisone, prednisolone)

If any of these are you, book in to see an Accredited Practicing Dietitian to make sure you’re getting enough calcium in!

"I’m dairy free"

A lot of soy products are low in calcium and don't have any added e.g. Bonsoy (oh my delicious Bonsoy) so be mindful with what you include as a ‘serve’. Go for soy milks with added calcium and try to incorporate some alternative calcium rich foods into your diet.

No more um’s

Calcium is a big one. So if standing up straight is your thing, go and buy yourself a milkshake and get in on that sweet, sweet calcium action.

References/Where you can learn more

• Eat for Health, 2018, https://static.diabetesaustralia.com.au/s/fileassets/diabetes-australia/d9579971-013b-4f48-82bf-0ad3e47ff84a.pdf

• Osteoporosis Australia Medical & Scientific Advisory Committee, 2017, Calcium, https://www.osteoporosis.org.au/calcium Last updated: 07/14/2017

• Precision Nutrition (Ryan Andrews) 2017, https://www.precisionnutrition.com/all-about-phytates-phytic-acid