Calcium

[Starblossom]

Okay so I've been phasing out dairy products. My only concern really is the calcium hype. Do we really need as much calcium as those bloody milk comercials claim? Or do I not need to worry about it? I mean I drink a glass or so of soy milk a day, and try to include tahini or sesame seeds in my diet. I'm not quite sure what else is a good source of calcium, oh yeah besides those things and my calcium fortified orange juice. The last thing I want is to fall ill and have everyone around me say, "see, I told you so!"

[kpickell]

You probably need about 1000 mg/day.

http://www.veganhealth.org/shv/index_html#calcium has more information and a chart that shows what foods are good sources.

[Starblossom]

Thanks!

[1vegan]

http://www.vegansociety.com/html/food/nutrition/calcium.php


Protein & Calcium
A high protein diet, especially derived from animal foods, causes calcium loss in the body. The higher sulphur-to-calcium ratio of meat increases calcium excretion, and a diet rich in meat can cause bone demineralisation. A report published in 1988 [1] comparing the amounts of calcium excreted in the urine of 15 subjects showed that the animal-protein diet caused greater loss of bone calcium in the urine (150mg/day) than the all-vegetable protein diet (103mg/day). These findings suggest that diets providing vegetable rather than animal protein may actually protect against bone loss and hence osteoporosis. In one study adults on a low-protein diet were in calcium balance regardless of whether calcium intake was 500mg, 800mg or 1400mg a day. [2] Interestingly The American Dietetic Association, in its 1993 policy statement on vegetable diets, pointed out that the calcium intakes recommended in the USA were increased specifically to offset calcium losses caused by the typically high protein consumption in that country.


and there's more good info in that link.