[663] in Vegetarian_Support_Group
calcium & protein
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (lmtancre@MIT.EDU)
Mon Sep 18 13:48:11 1995
From: lmtancre@MIT.EDU
To: vsg@MIT.EDU
Date: Mon, 18 Sep 1995 13:45:13 EDT
vegetarians do not have to worry about calcium intake as much as
meat-eaters, because we dont overload on protein. The "calciuric
effect" of protein mentioned below is that excess protein in the blood
binds with calcium. If there isnt enough calcium in the blood, calcium
will be drawn from the bones. Hence, osteoperosis.
(PS you cant fortify your bones by adding calcium. You can only keep
them from deteriorating further by not intaking too much protein!)
Drinking milk for calcium (as opposed to eating leafy greens, e.g.) is
inneffective at best because of the high levels of protein in milk.
Studies commissioned by the Dairy Council itself showed this (and
therefore were not widely publicized!)
From the American Dietetic Association:
>Certain plant constituents appear to inhibit the absorption of dietary
>calcium, but within the context of the total diet, this effect does not
>appear to be significant. Calcium from low-oxalate vegetable greens,
>such as kale, has been shown to be absorbed as well or better than
>calcium from cow's milk (15). Calcium deficiency in vegetarians is rare,
>and there is little evidence to show that calcium intakes below the
>Recommended Dietary Allowance (13) cause major health problems in the
>vegetarian population. The relatively high US recommendations for
>calcium intake, compared with those for populations consuming a more
>plant based diet, are designed to compensate for the calciuric effect of
>high intakes of animal protein, which are customary in the United
>States. Studies have shown that vegetarians, on the other hand, absorb
>and retain more calcium from foods than do nonvegetarians (16,17).
for reference and further info, read the ADA Position Paper on
Vegetarian Diets, availiable via the vsg www homepage
-lucy
