How to increase the absorption of calcium from the diet?

Calcium is the main mineral in our body. Nature itself made sure that it can be easily found in food. It is assumed that an adult over 19 years of age needs 1000-1300 mg of calcium every day ¹ . To meet this standard, you must eat scrambled eggs made of 2 eggs with a slice of rye bread and yellow cheese for breakfast, add white cabbage or broccoli to dinner, and for an afternoon snack - a cup of natural yogurt and a handful of almonds, and drink a glass of milk (cow or plant) during the day. ).

However, if you do not eat dairy products and/or are concerned about whether you are getting enough calcium from your diet, you can apply the following rules :

1. Make sure you include a variety of sources of calcium in your diet, not just dairy products.
2. Take care of other ingredients in your diet that will increase calcium absorption.
3. Remove factors from your diet that block calcium absorption.
4. Reduce foods that flush calcium from the body.

Now let's discuss each of these points in turn.

Various sources of calcium in the diet.

The most available and absorbable source of calcium is dairy products , especially dairy products - yogurts and cheeses. Plant products are also rich in calcium - poppy seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, almonds, hazelnuts, beans, parsley and even white cabbage. We can also find this element in canned fish eaten with bones (e.g. sardines).

However, it is not worth focusing on only one type of food, the diet should be diverse. For example, because some vegetables (e.g. beetroot, rhubarb, sorrel, radish, spinach) apart from calcium also contain oxalates or other compounds that may hinder its absorption. ² .

Support for the calcium absorption process.

The absorption of this mineral is largely dependent on the functioning of the hormonal system , which requires an adequate supply of vitamin D. The condition of our digestive system and the wall of the small intestine , where absorption takes place, is also important . We can also support calcium metabolism by including "supporters" in our diet:

• short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) - they can significantly increase the absorption of calcium ³ . These acids are produced in the intestines by bakery, fermenting dietary fiber and resistant starch. To get more SCFAs, you should enrich your diet with whole grains, legumes, bran, seeds, nuts, currants, blackberries, blueberries, apples, pears.

• inulin – daily consumption of about 8 g of inulin can increase calcium absorption by up to several dozen percent ⁴ . It is soluble dietary fiber, food for intestinal bacteria. You will find it in onions, leeks, chicory and garlic.

Factors that block calcium absorption.

In addition to its friends, calcium also has its enemies, which prevent us from properly absorbing this element. For example, saturated fats - bind calcium molecules, blocking their absorption ⁵ . Saturated fats are contained, for example, in bacon, lard, pork, beef, butter, frying oils, and chips. When taking care of calcium levels, avoid processed, fried, fatty and fast food.

The oxalates mentioned above combine with calcium, creating insoluble salts that we cannot absorb. In excess, they even lead to the formation of kidney stones. Oxalates are especially abundant in rhubarb, sorrel, spinach, chard, beetroot, coffee, cocoa and tea. This does not mean that we should avoid these products completely - just exercise moderation.

Another anti-nutritional substance - phytic acid, naturally occurring in cereals, nuts and legumes - also inhibits the absorption of calcium. This does not mean that we should give up these products, on the contrary, because they are a great source of calcium. To absorb it better, you need to get rid of phytic acid. Minerals that combine with this acid in our body form insoluble compounds, which means they cannot be absorbed into the bloodstream. ⁶ . We can easily neutralize phytic acid in three ways - soaking cereals, nuts, grains, legumes in water (at least overnight), sprouting grains and seeds or fermentation (e.g. preparing bread with natural sourdough).

Foods that leach calcium.

Let's assume that we have a sufficiently varied diet, rich in calcium, and we have taken care of all the factors that favor its absorption. However, there is a final stage that affects the condition of our bones, teeth and muscles. It's about calcium excretion . Some food ingredients may enhance this process. As a result, more calcium in our body will go to waste. The following contribute to this:

• salt – not only the salt from the salt shaker, but also included in most ready-made meals from the store ⁷ ;

• carbonated drinks - the phosphoric acid they contain is one of the culprits of the osteoporosis epidemic among ^teenagers8 ;

• caffeine – also washes out calcium from bones (although the calcium contained in tea is less harmful than that in coffee) ⁹ .

Consuming coffee and carbonated drinks from time to time, as well as following the recommended salt standards (5-6 gr per day) will not lead to calcium deficiency, but regular abuse of these rules may be risky to our health.

Bibliography:

1. Blaak E.,Canfora E., Theis S. et al., “Short chain fatty acids in human gut and metabolic health.” Beneficial Microbes, 2020, wageningenacademic.com.
2. Coxam V., “Current Data with Inulin-Type Fructans and Calcium, Targeting Bone Health in Adults.” The Journal of Nutrition, November 2007.
3. Bandali E., Rogers M.,Shapses S., The Higher Calcium Absorption Associated with a High Fat Diet is Not Due to Intestinal Calcium Availability. The FASEB Journal, June 1, 2015
4. Arnarson A., “Phytic Acid 101: Everything You Need to Know.” Healthline.com, June 28, 2018
5. Ward EM, “Osteoporosis Diet Dangers: Foods to Avoid.” WedMD.com, January 9, 2008
6. Hoffamn C., “Teen Girls Can Put Down the Pop and Protect Their Bones.” WebMD.com, June 14, 2000
7. Ward EM op.cit.