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VEGETARIANS HAVE AN
ADVANTAGE
Their diet is more alkaline, a condition that
favors bone density. Part of the body's response to excess acid-forming foods, like animal
protein, is to release calcium from the bones. |
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You can't prevent osteoporosis and
keep bones strong if you keep flushing out calcium. Try to cut down on
calcium-robbing, high-protein meats and dairy products. Instead look to lower protein sources
of calcium found in whole grains, dark-green leafy vegetables, and beans. |
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Eskimos consume diets extremely high in both protein (250 to 400 gm/day) and calcium (1,500 to
2,500 mg/day). In spite of their high calcium intake and the very active lives they lead, they
have one of the highest rates of osteoporosis in the world.
The Bantu tribes in Africa, on the other hand, consume an average of
50 grams of protein and
less than 400 mg of calcium a day, predominantly from plant foods. Yet, even though Bantu women
bear an average of 10 children, making special demands on calcium reserves, they are essentially
free of osteoporosis (bone loss). In contrast, relatives of the Bantu who have migrated to the United States
and adopted the American dietary lifestyle eventually experience a rate of osteoporosis
comparable to that of the rest of the American population.
How about prevention?
Most populations around the world average 400 mg of calcium a day without any evidence of
osteoporosis. It’s strangely paradoxical that osteoporosis has become epidemic in the United
States, where the consumption of calcium-rich dairy products and calcium supplements is the
highest in the world.
But North Americans also eat two to three times more protein than they need. Reducing protein intake to
the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of 50 to 60 grams a day, along with daily active exercise
and a healthful diet low in salt, phosphorus, and caffeine, holds promise of turning the tide in
the battle against brittle bones.
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1
Calcium in Concentrated Protein Foods |
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Serving
Size |
Calcium
(in mg) |
Protein
(ingm) |
| Beef, Chicken |
5 oz. |
15 |
34-45 |
| Cheddar Cheese |
4 sl. |
900 |
35 |
| Whole Milk |
3 glasses |
875 |
27 |
| With high
protein foods, you sometimes get a lot of calcium. But you may lose even more
calcium as the body has to deal with the excess animal protein. |
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2
Calcium in Unconcentrated Protein Foods |
| |
Serving
Size |
Calcium
(in mg) |
Protein
(ingm) |
| Collard greens |
1 cup |
360 |
5 |
| Spinach, Broccoli |
1 cup |
175 |
5 |
| Bread |
2 sl. |
50-90 |
5 |
| These foods
are good sources of calcium. They have moderate amounts of protein, are low in
fat, and cholesterol-free. |
More bone loss topics:
What is Bone Loss and
Treatment for Bone Loss
Contact
CHIP to learn more.
"Be Healthy by Choice, Not by Chance!". |
