The Calcium Connection

The Calcium Connection
Vegetarians are less likely to form either kidney stones or gallstones. In addition,
vegetarians may also be at lower risk for osteoporosis because they eat little or no
animal protein. A high intake of animal protein encourages the loss of calcium from the bones. Replacing animal products with plant foods reduces the amount of calcium lost. This may help to explain why people who live in countries where the typical diet is plantbased have little osteoporosis, even when calcium intake is lower than that in dairy-consuming countries. you already enjoy. Common ones

Planning Vegetarian diets

It’s easy to plan vegetarian diets that meet all your nutrient needs. Grains, beans, and vegetables are rich in protein and iron. Green leafy vegetables, beans, lentils, tofu, corn tortillas, and nuts are excellent sources of calcium, as are enriched soymilk and fortified juices. Vitamin D is normally made in the body when sun shines on the skin. People who are dark-skinned or live at northern latitudes have some difficulty producing vitamin D year-round. Vitamin D can easily be obtained from fortified foods. Some sources are commercial breakfast cereals, soymilk, other supplemental products, and multivitamins.Regular intake of vitamin B12 is important. Good sources include all common multiple vitamins (including vegetarian vitamins), fortified cereals, some brands of nutritional yeast, and fortified soymilk. It is especially important for pregnant women and breast-feeding mothers to get enough
vitamin B12. When reading food labels, look for the word cyanocobalamin the form of vitamin B12 that is best absorbed by the body.

Presented by Vegetarian Times
and the Physicians Committee
for Responsible Medicine