How to get adequate calcium with a dairy free diet

We are continuously fed information about the “importance” of dairy products for our overall health, in particular the value of milk as a source of dietary calcium.  The truth is, for the 75% of the population with dairy intolerances, the consumption of milk and dairy is impacting on their overall wellbeing and not leading to improvements in bone health.  In fact, in countries where the least amount of dairy is consumed, the occurrence of osteoporosis is also reduced.

Calcium is certainly a very important mineral, and according to the Food Safety Authority in Ireland, we require about 800 mg/day to maintain bone health, with an increase to 1,200 mg/day for teenagers, pregnant and lactating women.  So if we cut milk and dairy products from our diets, where can we then get the necessary requirements for calcium? It’s easier than you might think.

A 200ml glass of whole milk provides approximately 236 mg of calcium.  So in order to obtain the required daily amount, you would need to take in about 680 ml of milk per day.  That’s quite a lot of milk! But using calcium rich foods as a source and can simultaneously ensure a varied diet, rich in other nutrients.  These are just a few sample menus, but do bear in mind that different brands may have more or less calcium:

Non-vegan/vegetarian:

Breakfast

1 slice calcium fortified bread – 175mg

1oz almond butter – 80mg

8oz glass calcium fortified orange juice (not from concentrate) – 300mg

Snack

2 kiwis – 100mg

Lunch

60g canned sardines in oil – 240mg

1 slice calcium fortified bread – 175mg

1 cup raw Kale – 55mg

Snack

½oz whole roasted sesame seeds/hummus containing 1tbps tahini – 140mg

Dinner

Burrito, including the following:

2 corn tortillas – 85mg

1 cup pinto beans – 75mg

1 cup brown rice – 50mg

Approximate Daily Calcium Intake = 1,475 mg

Vegan/Vegetarian:

Breakfast

30g Instant porridge oats – 125mg

200 ml calcium enriched soy milk – 240mg

Snack

1 slice calcium fortified bread – 175mg

Lunch

Salad prepared with the following:

120g raw cress – 188mg

120g raw broccoli – 112mg

10g wakame – 15mg

Snack

30g almonds – 75mg

Dinner

Stir fry, including the following:

120g tofu – 126mg

1 cup cooked spinach – 240mg

Approximate Daily Calcium Intake = 1,296mg

Also of note is that both Vitamin D and magnesium are necessary for calcium absorption.  If we were exposed to at least 30 minutes of sun per day, our bodies would make the necessary Vitamin D and we wouldn’t have to worry.  In Ireland, due to both our weather and lifestyles, this isn’t always possible.  For non-vegans, sources of Vitamin D include eggs, fatty fish and liver, and for vegan diets, fortified foods such as non-dairy milks, orange juice and cereals are good sources.  In terms of magnesium, almonds and cashews are good sources, along with dark leafy vegetables and whole grains. 

When considering you daily requirement for calcium, do give consideration to the fact that salt and caffeine can decrease calcium retention.  If you have a diet that is high in either of these, it may be worth increasing your own personal intake of calcium to ensure you have an adequate supply.

Dairy Consumption - What does the research actually tell us?

There is a long standing practice for the food industry to preach the perceived benefits of dairy consumption to consumers.  It’s a lucrative industry, but one that is slowly coming under scrutiny by informed members of the public who refuse to take everything they are told at face value.  We are seeing a steady rise in the availability of dairy alternatives, particularly non-dairy milks, such as almond, rice, oat, coconut and hemp milks, and this is set to continue.  But from a scientific point of view, what does the research actually tell us?

Well for a start, the first thing to consider is why exactly so many people are considered ‘lactose intolerant’ these days and what exactly does this mean? The food we consume needs to be broken down to the smallest possible form in order to be digested by the body, and for sugars, this means single molecules known as monosaccharides.  Lactose is a disaccharide (two sugars), and lactose intolerance occurs where there is a failure of the body to break this down to a digestible form.  A specific enzyme (a digestive tool) in our bodies, known as lactase is responsible for this action, and biologically this should no longer function past childhood weaning from breastmilk (or alternatives) anyway.  Where the lactase enzyme does continue to function past weaning, it is known as Lactase Persistence, and only about 35% of the population maintains this.  Therefore, the remaining 65% will lose the ability to break down these sugars, resulting in lactose intolerance.  This is normal, and in countries such as China and Japan, where very little, if any, milk is consumed in adulthood, there is no issue.  However, in our Westernised diet, where we are increasingly reliant on milk and milk products, this is going to cause health issues, the least of which is abdominal discomfort. 

Campaigns promoting dairy consumption have tried to focus on health benefits that could be attributed to its intake.  One such example is the use of yogurt to treat diarrhea.  There are some studies which do show improvements in diarrhea with yogurt due to the cultures included, but more specific studies have in fact countered this by showing heightened benefits from treating diarrhea with cooked green plant-based diets, both in terms of the costs and the duration in which improvements in health were witnessed.  A World Health Organisation study, in fact, showed that patients suffering from diarrhea actually responded best to lactose exclusion.

Then we have the argument that dairy products are a cost effective method of including nutrients in the diet.  There is a method of measuring nutrient concentration in food, and it’s known as the ‘nutrient density score’.  So whilst dairy apparently has a good nutrient density score, fruit and vegetables, not surprisingly, provide the greatest nutrient density overall.  Grains and starches are similar to milk in their quality-to-price ratio and studies have shown that including cheap starches in the diet make it possible to fulfill all nutritional requirements by spending more on high-cost, nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables. 

Calcium always receives the greatest amount of attention when it comes to dairy consumption, but the truth is that calcium is found in soil, and is then absorbed by the roots of plants.  So grass fed cows will get a lot of calcium from the grass, but we can get all the absorbable calcium we need from plant foods too.  Think dark green leafy vegetables, such as spinach and kale! Seeds are good sources too, particularly sesame seeds. 

When it comes to the scientific research into the benefits of dairy consumption, the evidence is mixed (that’s putting it politely) and in fact, there is substantial research to show that other foods are more beneficial.  Countries with the highest dairy consumption also have the greatest incidence of osteoporosis, and the research shows that plant-based diets can reduce the risk of cancer, aid calcium transport and protein synthesis, amongst others. 

Just some food for thought the next time you go to put milk in your tea – try it without or opt instead for the dairy alternatives?  You might actually like them!