When it comes to getting all your nutrients needed for health, many of us jump straight to supplements. Your body may not be so easily tricked though from the extraction of a vitamin or mineral in a pill over the whole food form.
This appears to be true for calcium supplements. A study which followed 6814 people of which 51% were women with a ten year follow up investigated the use of calcium supplements on health over whole foods and beverages containing calcium. This study reported that calcium supplements increased your risk of heart disease or atherosclerosis by supporting the build-up of plaques in your arteries which ultimately can lead to a heart attack. The plot thickens with the risk of atherosclerosis decreasing when calcium was part of the diet using whole foods like milk or yogurt.
Want to know whole foods which are a source of calcium? To get enough calcium most adults over the age of 18 and under 50 need 2.5 servings of calcium a day, you can get a serving from:
- 200g yogurt
- A matchbox size or two sandwich slices of cheddar cheese
- 100g of hard tofu (check the levels of calcium)
- Soy, rice or almond milk (check the back of the carton to make sure there is at least 100mg of calcium per 100ml)
- 250mls of milk (this can be fresh, long life, powdered or buttermilk)
- ½ cup of evaporated milk
- ½ cup of ricotta cheese
Other non-traditional dairy foods you may like to try to get a serve include:
- 100g of almonds with the skin
- 60g of sardines in water
- 1/2 cup of salmon which includes the bones
Some vegetables like broccoli also have calcium but the levels are lower and you need to eat a lot to get a serve. Vegetables are still important for our health in many other ways and including them is still important for health.
Take home message: Unless your doctor has prescribed you to take a supplement save yourself some money and enjoy whole foods instead.
References:
- Anderson, J. J. B., Kruszka, B., Delaney, J. A. C., He, K., Burke, G. L., Alonso, A., … Michos, E. D. (2016). Calcium Intake From Diet and Supplements and the Risk of Coronary Artery Calcification and its Progression Among Older Adults: 10‐Year Follow‐up of the Multi‐Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA).Journal of the American Heart Association: Cardiovasc(1)ular and Cerebrovascular Disease, 5(10), e003815. http://doi.org/10.1161/JAHA.116.003815
- Government A. Eat For Health Australia2015 [updated 27.7.15; cited 2017 21.2.17]. Available from: https://eatforhealth.gov.au/food-essentials/five-food-groups/milk-yoghurt-cheese-andor-their-alternatives-mostly-reduced-fat.
