Diary Free Explained

BY REBECCA GAWTHORNE

Calcium is the most abundant mineral in our body. In fact, it accounts for 2% of our total body weight.

Why do we need Calcium? We hear you say. Calcium is essential to all cells in our body. It plays many vital roles and is required for skeletal function – mineralisation of our bones and teeth, muscular function – needed for muscle contraction and relaxation, heart function, hlood clotting, immune defences, nervous system – nervous impulse transmission, activating enzyme reactions and our body’s cellular metabolism. All in all, our body really needs it. 99% of calcium is stored in our bones and teeth, while the remaining 1% is found in our extracellular fluid (fluid surrounding our cells).

Anyway, enough with the facts and figures. How much do we need to consume every day? Calcium is an essential nutrient, meaning our body does not produce calcium, so we must obtain it from food. After food is digested in the stomach, calcium is primarily absorbed in the duodenum, which is the first part of our small intestine.

Is there such a things as having too much? We’re glad you asked. The upper limit for calcium is 2500mg/day. High levels of urinary calcium can increase yout risk of developing kidney stones, or in extreme cases (over-supplementation), renal failure. If you don’t get enough, low calcium levels can lead to hypocalcaemia (calcium deficiency), which can be associated with many health implications, including dental health – brittle teeth, tooth decay, irritated gums, numbness in the mouth, difficulty swallowing, weak, brittle nails and even osteoporosis.

Which brings us to the truth about going dairy free- why would you do it? For a variety of health, allergy, intolerance and nutritional reasons, people across the globe are going off dairy. Dairy foods are rich in calcium and have a high calcium bioavailability. However, this doesn’t mean that you need to consume dairy to meet your calcium needs. There are a wide range of non-dairy calcium-rich foods around now for those who can not, or choose not, to consume dairy. And the most mind boggling thing you may here today - you CAN meet your calcium needs without dairy (and without consuming a small country’s world of food).

Here are some non-dairy, calcium-rich food sources (and above): Fish with bones (sardine, salmon) (279mg per small can) Nuts (almonds) (30 mg in 10 almonds) Calcium fortified soy, or almond milks (309mg per 250 ml, of a fortified soy milk) Broccoli (15mg in 2 florets) Brussel sprouts (42mg per 100g) Cauliflower (22mg per 100g) Leafy greens (150mg per 100g kale) Tofu firm (832mg per cup) Beans/Legumes (90mg per cup of canned chickpeas) Oranges (40mg per 100g) Calcium fortified breakfast cereals (200mg per cup of fortified cereals) Dried figs (160 mg in 6 figs) Supplements – calcium citrate or carbonate: 500-600mg doses are recommended per day.

You can keep a record of what you eat and add up the amount of calcium to see if you are reaching your calcium requirements. If you are unsure if you are getting enough calcium, see a Dietitian to help determine this. Truth be told, dairy products are not the only source of calcium for a healthy body. Ensuring that you consume adequate amounts of calcium from a variety good quality sources every day (like those listed above) can ensure that your bones, joints, muscles and teeth stay strong.