What does it do?
We have just over a kilogram of calcium stored in our bodies – which in a world of milli and micro grams is a big old amount. 99% of this is stored in our skeletons, a good indicator of what this mineral is all about just in case you hadn’t already guessed.
Calcium (working in a tag team with phosphorus) is essential for healthy bones and teeth, helping to give them the structure and rigidity they need. No slouch, calcium also plays a role in blood clotting, maintaining normal heart rhythm, muscle growth and contraction, as well as nerve impulse transmission.
What’s the story?
Calcium requirements peak during adolescence, so it’s really important youngsters get the recommended amounts for their age groups. Rates of rickets, osteomalacia, and osteoporosis are all on the up, and the recent ‘clean eating’ trend with its misplaced enthusiasm for dairy-free seems to have impacted on intake among young adults. A recent National Osteoporosis Society survey found 20% of under-25's are cutting out or reducing dairy in their diet; a real cause for concern given that ‘peak bone mass’ is usually only reached by the late 20’s.
Top tip: if you’re vegan, and mostly getting your calcium form plant-based sources, be careful of oxalates. This family includes vegetables like spinach, beetroot, and rhubarb, and they chemically bind to any calcium present in your meal making it a damn sight harder for your body to absorb.
How much do I need?
Adult men and women aged 19 and over need 700 mg per day.
What are good sources?
Dairy is the obvious big one here – milk, cheese and yogurt are all great sources, although it is possible to get calcium from other non-dairy sources including some fortified products like cereals and tofu. Green leafy veg, green beans, dried figs, legumes, nuts (especially sesame seeds), and fish with bones also contain decent amounts of calcium. The last of which sounds incredibly weird, but really just translates to meaning tinned sardines, or tinned salmon with bones, and makes sense when you remember that calcium is predominantly stored in the skeleton.
Any ideas for using those ingredients?
insalate tricolore/Roast harissa cauliflower with tahini sauce/sardine, olive and apple salad/tofu and aubergine stirfry/ginger banoffee pie
References
BBC (2017). Dairy-free diets warning over risk to bone health. Available here.
British Nutrition Foundation. (2021) Nutrition Requirements. Available here.