When it comes to bone health, I recently did some research to see if Sophia and I were eating enough calcium. We don’t eat any cow’s milk dairy as we are both highly intolerant.
Wear and tear on our bones happens as we age and the ability to maintain strong bones is dependent on a few things. Specialized cells called osteoclasts breakdown areas of weakened bones while osteoblasts remodel the bone with new material. Believe it or not, this process occurs every 3-4 months!
As we age, the osteoclasts start to work harder than the osteoblasts and bone strength starts to decline. Due to less digestive enzymes being released as we age, we also absorb less calcium from the diet. A double edge sword, which can result in osteopenia, or thinning of the bones.
So how much calcium should you be eating every single day? 1000mg for women or 1300mg calcium for pregnant and menopausal women. Have a go at this nifty calcium calculator to see just how much calcium you are having.
Partners in Crime
Vitamin D is crucial to be able to absorb dietary calcium in the gut. And vitamin D also helps your body to get calcium into the bones, instead of it floating around in the blood and ending up as calcium deposits on arteries and joints.
Vitamin K2 is incredibly important to help keep bones strong. In Japan, K2 is used to treat osteoporosis and there is good research to show that it can reduce fracture rates and increase bone mineral density in postmenopausal women.
How much do I need to eat every day?
Here is a snapshot of how much you need to be eating daily to meet your calcium requirements.
Up the duff for me – 100g canned red salmon with bones, 2 eggs, 1 cup cows milk, 30g cheddar, 1 cup spinach, 1tbs tahini, 1 cup cannellini beans, 5 almonds
Cow’s milk is fine for me – 1000mg = 1 cup cow’s milk yoghurt, 30g cheddar, 20 almonds, 100g canned red salmon with bones, 1 egg, 1 cup spinach
No Cow’s milk for me thanks – 1 cup sheep’s milk yoghurt, 1 cup cannellini beans, 1 egg, 1 fig, 1 cup broccoli, 1 cup bok choy, 10 almonds
Completely vegan please! – 120g tofu, 1tbs tahini, 1 cup green beans, 1tbs tahini, 1 kiwi fruit, 15 almonds
Sources of Calcium include:
1 cup cow’s milk = 300
1 cup cow’s milk yoghurt = 295
1 cup sheep’s milk yoghurt = 470
30g cheddar = 200
1 cup green beans = 55
20 almonds = 70
¼ cup sesame seeds = 350
½ cup parsley = 41
1 cup spinach = 240
1 cup broccoli = 54
120gr tofu = 754
100gr sardines = 185
100g canned red salmon with bones = 180
1tbs tahini = 64
1 dried fig = 15
1 cup cannellini beans = 190
1 cup bok choy = 74
1tbsp black strap molasses = 135
1 kiwi fruit = 26
1 egg = 50
What Should I Avoid?
To optimise your absorption of calcium, eliminate salt, caffeine, and sugar.
