Don’t take calcium supplements randomly! Don’t make these common calcium supplement mistakes again

Calcium supplementation, a topic that runs through the elderly, middle-aged, young and old

If there is any problem that cannot be solved by calcium supplementation

That must be not enough.

Joking is joking

There are many people who have calcium intake deficits.

Data shows that the average daily calcium intake of urban and rural residents in my country is 391 mg, which is only about 50% of the recommended intake.

This data can basically explain

Most of us don't get enough calcium

It really should be supplemented.

Whether you need to supplement or not depends on whether your daily intake is sufficient. You can refer to the recommendations of the latest 2023 edition of "Dietary Nutrient Reference Intake for Chinese Residents":

●The recommended daily calcium intake for infants and young children (1-3 years old) is 500 mg;

●The recommended daily calcium intake for children (4-6 years old) is 600 mg;

●The recommended daily calcium intake for children (7-8 years old) is 800 mg;

●The recommended daily calcium intake for adolescents (9-17 years old) is 1000 mg;

The recommended daily calcium intake for adults (18 years and over) is 800 mg;

●For pregnant and lactating women, there is no recommendation to increase the intake additionally, and the recommended intake is the same as that for adult women of the same age (800 mg/day).

Maybe you don't have any idea about these amounts. For example, an adult needs about 800 mg of calcium per day, which is equivalent to

300ml milk + half a pound of dark green vegetables + 2 ounces of soy products + 2 ounces of fish and shellfish + 1 egg

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If you do not reach this calcium intake, it means that you really need to adjust your diet structure and supplement your daily calcium intake. Infants, teenagers, pregnant women, and the elderly need to pay special attention to this.

However, you should also pay attention to moderation when supplementing calcium. Just try to stay as close to the standard as possible in your diet. Don't blindly take large amounts of calcium tablets or supplements, as that is not good for your health.

In some old views, bone soup has always been considered a good thing.

"Bone oil is all calcium. Wouldn't it be a great tonic if we used it to make soup?"

You're overthinking it. Bone broth tastes good, but its calcium supplement effect is minimal.

Bones are high in calcium, but they are extremely difficult to dissolve, not to mention to absorb. As for bone marrow oil, it actually contains mostly fat, and eating it can easily make you gain weight...

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What is really useful is to look at these types of food:

Milk and dairy products

Pure milk, cheese, and yogurt all count, especially cheese. The calcium content in high-quality cheese is higher than that in milk.

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However, overall, milk is still the best calcium supplement drink. It has a suitable calcium-phosphorus ratio and is very easy to absorb.

Of course, you should also pay attention when buying. Those with "milk drink" written on the packaging do not count. Although they taste good, they contain less milk.

Beans and bean products

For example, soybeans, tofu, dried tofu, tofu skin, and tofu pudding are all fine. Together with milk, they can be regarded as the kings of calcium-supplementing foods.

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Moreover, compared with milk, beans are easier to cook and go well with rice, which is a delicious treat for the mouth.

Dark green vegetables

Vegetables also contain calcium, especially green leafy vegetables, which are relatively rich in content. More importantly, in addition to calcium, these vegetables also contain nutrients such as vitamin K and magnesium, which can promote calcium absorption.

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However, one thing to note is that green leafy vegetables usually contain oxalic acid, which will form calcium oxalate with calcium and become difficult to absorb.

Therefore, when cooking with green leafy vegetables, it is best to rinse them with water first and blanch them for a few seconds to remove the oxalic acid.

Eating too much high-salt food

If you consume too much salt, the excess sodium in your body will be excreted through urine, and this process will cause calcium loss. For every 1000 mg of sodium excreted, 26 mg of calcium will be consumed.

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In addition to using less salt when cooking, you should also be wary of some hidden high-salt foods, such as soy sauce, pickles, pickled meats, fried snacks, etc.

Consuming too much high-phosphorus food

Such as processed meat, animal offal, etc. Although phosphorus is also an important nutrient required by the human body, it should not be consumed excessively, as it can easily cause bone loss and vascular calcification.

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In addition, calcium supplementation is not just about taking in calcium. Auxiliary means to promote calcium absorption should also be used, such as exercise and sun exposure, which can effectively promote calcium absorption and prevent bone loss.

Calcium supplementation is a long-term task

No matter what age group

Calcium supplementation is a big deal

Maintain a healthy diet

To maintain our bone health

Statement: This article is a medical-related educational popular science article. It does not involve specific treatment methods or medical behaviors and cannot replace hospital visits.

Experts who reviewed this article

References

[1] Yun Juping, Gu Qing. Analysis of pharmaceutical care points based on the statistics of calcium supplementation regimen for hospitalized patients[J]. Chinese Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 2020, 36(3): 361-362, 368. DOI: 10.13699/j.cnki.1001-6821.2020.03.039.

[2] Cheng Qiuhong, Song Baoyun. Discussion on the timing and speed of intravenous calcium supplementation during stem cell collection[J]. Journal of Nursing Continuing Education, 2014, (15): 1415-1416.

[3] Gao Zengjie, Qin Yu, Song Hong, et al. Cardiovascular risks and benefits of calcium supplementation[J]. Chinese Journal of Osteoporosis and Bone Mineral Diseases, 2021, 14(5): 531-536. DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1674-2591.2021.05.013.

[4] Wang Meichen, Zhao Ai, Situ Wenyou, et al. Calcium intake of adults in eight cities in China[J]. Acta Nutrimenta Sinica, 2017, 39(4): 332-336.

Content Production

Editor: Yang Yali

Map: Eastern Zhou Dynasty