Calcium: What vegan & vegetarian diets often lack

As of late, calcium has been popping up in conversations with my friends, family, and doctors. Since this mineral is of utmost importance I have decided to talk about it today in hopes to help you gain an understanding.

Especially during childhood and throughout your life, it is very important to get adequate calcium through your diet to support bone growth and density as well as muscle function, nerve transmission, and intracellular and hormonal signaling. As a very active woman involved in running, biking, hiking, etc, it is very important for me to obtain adequate calcium to prevent bone loss and maintain my bone density. Women tend to lose bone density quicker than men. This is due to a smaller frame size (less weight bearing on bones), and most importantly the decrease in estrogen during menopause, resulting in a rate of 1-2% bone loss per year. If adequate calcium is consumed throughout a women’s life, alongside a weight bearing exercise regime, bone loss can be decreased, supporting bone health into the later years of life.

However, as I have come to find eating a plant-based diet may have inadequate dietary calcium if one does not consume a lot of calcium rich foods. This can cause problems, especially if you are very active. Without adequate calcium the body is signaled to remove calcium from our bones to maintain a calcium homeostasis within our body. This can lead to weakened bones, possible fractures, and osteoporosis.  Of the plant-based diets today, a vegan diet has the highest risk of offering inadequate dietary calcium due to the lack of dairy products.  In addition plant-based diets, such as vegetarian/vegan diets, may be low in vitamin D, an essential vitamin for bone health. Not only does vitamin D help the intestines absorb dietary calcium, but it also signals bone cells called osteoblasts to increase bone formation while simultaneously suppressing bone degradation.

Interestingly, taking large supplements of calcium is not the answer either. More is not better. Research has shown a correlation between calcium supplementation and cardiovascular disease as well as kidney stones. Theories suggest the reason being that calcium supplements increase blood-calcium levels much more than calcium rich foods. Therefore, finding ways to incorporate calcium rich foods into ones diet is the safest and healthiest way to support bone health. Supplementation can be beneficial in low doses alongside diets that are inadequate in calcium. The recommended dietary allowances for both females and males ages 19-50 is 1000mg/day.

To help you navigate through your refrigerator here is a great list of common foods and their calcium content (mg).

Vegetables (1 cup cooked)

Bok Choy, boiled	158	Collard green, boiled	266
Bean sprouts, stir fried	16	Mustard greens, boiled	104
Spinach, boiled	245	Turnip greens, boiled	249
Broccoli, steamed	75	Kale, boiled	94
Broccoli, raw	42	Kale, raw	90
Beet greens, boiled	165	Swiss chard, boiled	102
Dandelion greens, boiled	147	Rutabaga greens	82
Okra, boiled	123	Rhubarb, cooked	350
Asparagus (12 spears)	41	Green beans, boiled	55
Brussels sprouts, boiled	56	Carrots, sliced, raw (1 cup)	40
Cauliflower pieces, raw	22	Celery, chopped, raw (1 cup)	40
Eggplant, cubed, boiled	6	Fennel bulb, sliced, raw (1 cup)	43
Potato, baked, w/ skin	16	Acorn squash, cubed, baked	90

Fruit (1 cup fresh)

Avocado, cubed	18	Orange (1 cup sections)	71
Blackberries	42	Orange juice, fortified	200-260
Blueberries, frozen	12	Pineapple (1 cup chunks)	21
Dates (Medjool, 5 each)	77	Raspberries	31
Grapefruit (1 cup)	51	Strawberries (1 cup sliced)	27
Kiwi	60	Mango (sliced)	16

Nuts and Seeds (1/4 cup)

Almonds	94	Walnuts (English, halved)	24
Chestnuts (roasted)	10	Sesame seeds (whole, dried)	351
Filberts (hazelnuts)	38	Sunflower seeds (dried)	27
Pistachios (dry roasted)	34	Soybean nuts (dry roasted)	60
Brazil nuts, raw	53	Cashews, dry roasted	13
Macadamia nuts, raw	28	Peanuts, raw	34
Pecans	19	Pine nuts, dried	5
Pumpkin seeds, dried	15	Coconut milk (1 cup canned)	41

Nut & Seed Butters (2 Tablespoons)

Almond, toasted	86	Tahini (sesame paste)	130
Cashew	14	Sunflower seeds	50
Sesame seed, roasted	280

Beans (1 cup cooked)

Garbanzo	80	Soybeans	261
Pinto	80	Black beans	46
Navy beans	126	Cannellini (Great Northern)	120
Black-eyed peas	211	Refried beans, canned	79
Tofu, firm, w/ Calcium	408	Tempeh	184
Fava beans	61	Kidney beans	50
Lentils	38	Split peas	27

Grains (1 cup cooked)

Amaranth, cooked, 1 cup	116	Teff, cooked, 1 cup	387
Barley, pearled	17	Brown rice, medium grain	20
Quinoa, cooked, 1 cup	31	White rice, medium grain	6
Oatmeal, regular, cooked	20	Wild rice	5
Millet,	5	Corn, yellow	12
Cornmeal, enriched	483	Oats	84
Wheat flour, whole grain	41	Wheat flour, white	19
Sesame seeds, toasted	280

Fish (3 oz)

Raw oysters (wild, raw 6 medium)	38	Salmon, canned w/ bones	181
Shrimp (cooked)	33	Sardines, canned w/ bones	325
Orange Roughly (cooked)	9	Rainbow trout, cooked	73
Salmon, Coho, wild, baked	38	Tuna, light, canned in water	9
Cod, Atlantic, cooked	12	Mackerel, canned, boneless	205
Haddock, cooked (dry heat)	36	Snapper, cooked (dry heat)	34
Yellowtail, cooked (dry heat)	25	Whitefish, cooked (dry heat)	28
Bluefin tuna, cooked	8	Halibut, cooked (dry heat)	51

Dairy & Dairy Alternatives (1 cup/8 oz)

Goat milk	327	Cows Milk	300
Almond Milk (fortified)	300	Soy Milk (fortified)	300
Evaporated milk, canned,	742	Yogurt, low fat	415
Cottage cheese (small curd, 2%)	138	Ice cream	170
Sour cream, cultured	250	Frozen yogurt, soft serve	206
Mozzarella cheese, 1.5 oz	275	Ricotta Cheese	509
Swiss cheese, 1 oz.	224	Cheddar cheese, 1 oz	204

Sea Vegetables

Agar, dried (100 grams)	625	Kelp (⅛ cup raw)	17
Irishmoss (⅛ cup raw)	7	Wakame (⅛ cup raw)	15

Miscellaneous

Dried figs, 2 whole.	62	Dried prunes, 1 cup pitted	75
Dried apricots, 3 oz.	47	Raisins, seedless, ¼ cup	21
Dates (Medjool), 3 oz.	54	Carob flour, 2 oz.	195
Blackstrap molasses, 1 tbsp	172	Maple syrup, 1 tbsp	13
Tortilla, corn, 1 medium	42	Tortilla, flour, 1 medium	37

For all my dear vegan friends, family, and readers since it is most difficult for you to obtain adequate calcium, I have decided to create a calcium rich, Asian inspired salad, great for lunch, dinner, or even as a snack. Each serving offers 31% of your daily recommended calcium, and is full of great plant protein, fiber, and a host of vitamins and minerals. If you sit outside in the sun you will also get your vitamin D!

Read more about bone health and the importance of Vitamin K2 here. 

Ginger Citrus Tofu Salad with Buckwheat Soba Noodles

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

For the tofu + marinade:  

1/8 cup orange juice (fortified)

1/8 cup tamari

1/8 cup toasted sesame oil

1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp finely grated ginger

1 clove garlic, minced

2 teaspoons maple syrup

¼ teaspoon cayenne powder

1 package extra firm tofu (made with calcium sulfate)

For the Thai citrus vinaigrette:

Leftover marinade

Zest of 1 lime

Juice of ½ lime

1/8 cup orange juice (fortified)

3 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar

2 teaspoons maple syrup

Sea Salt to taste

For the salad:
1/4 cup dry arame seaweed (I used Eden)

½ package Eden Soba Noodles (I used 100% buckwheat to make it gluten-free)

1 stalk broccoli, florets only

1 large carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks

1 ½ cups lacinato kale, de-ribbed and cut into ribbons

½ cup green cabbage, shredded

1/3 cup cilantro, chopped

8 basil leaves, chopped

1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted

Directions:

Preparing the Tofu + Marinade: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a bowl mix together orange juice, tamari, sesame oil, olive oil, ginger, garlic, maple syrup, and cayenne and set aside. Cut the tofu into 1-inch cubes and place into a small baking pan without overlapping. Pour the marinade over the tofu. Put the tofu into the oven and bake for 15 minutes, stir, and bake for 15 minutes more until browned. With a slotted spoon, scoop out the tofu and place onto a plate and allow to cool. Pour the remaining marinade into a bowl and set aside.

Preparing the Thai citrus vinaigrette: Add the lime zest and juice to the remaining marinade. Continue to add the orange juice, rice vinegar, maple syrup, and sea salt to taste. Set aside.

Preparing the salad: Place the arame into a bowl covered with filtered water. Cook the soba noodles as described on the package, rinse with cold water and set aside. Meanwhile, bring a small pot of water to a boil, and blanch the broccoli florets for 30 seconds. Immediately strain the florets and rinse with cold water. Strain the soaked seaweed. Put the seaweed, soba noodles, blanched broccoli florets, carrot, kale, cabbage, cilantro, basil, and sesame seeds into a large bowl and toss. Dress the salad with the Thai citrus vinaigrette.

Serve the salad topped with baked tofu and garnished with sesame seeds.

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Resources:

Bastyr Clinic. Calcium Content of Foods. 2010

Mahan L, Escott-Stump, S, Raymond J. Krause's Food and the Nutrition Care Process. 2012