Tagged with 'calcium'

What's up with my strong cravings for all things dairy right now?? Well, I did some investigating and check this out:

The amount of calcium your intestines absorb during pregnancy doubles!   

Another fun fact…about 80% of the calcium present in the baby’s skeleton at the end of pregnancy crossed the placenta during the third trimester and is mostly derived from the calcium in mom’s diet during pregnancy. The calcium mom eats seems to be the main way our bodies adapt to meet those high calcium demands during pregnancy (1). Amazing! That definitely explains the cravings and my baby needs the calcium with only 6 weeks left to grow.

How Much Calcium Does A Pregnant Woman Need? 

A pregnant woman needs 1,000 mg calcium per day and pregnant teenagers need 1,300 mg calcium per day (4).

A prenatal supplement isn’t going to provide a lot of calcium, and if needed, additional calcium can be supplemented alongside the prenatal supplement, especially in the third trimester of pregnancy when calcium's needed most. Calcium can be obtained from foods naturally rich in calcium, calcium-fortified foods and beverages, supplements, or a combination of all. 

A comparison of calcium-containing foods per serving relative to milk is shown here:

*References 2 and 3.

Choosing A Calcium Supplement 

First things first, please examine the nutrition label. You are looking for the amount of "elemental calcium,” not the milligrams or grams of calcium compound. For example, a 600 mg calcium tablet can actually contain only 150 mg of elemental calcium. Most high-quality manufacturers will specify on the label the milligram content of the compound and also the milligram content of "elemental calcium." If the label does not present this information, it would be best to avoid that product.

Maximize Absorption Of Your Calcium Supplement

1.  Look for the highly absorbable forms of calcium…calcium citrate and calcium citrate-malate.

2. The percentage of calcium absorbed in your intestines decreases as the quantity of calcium consumed increases (5).  This means, to maximize absorption, divide your calcium intake into more doses throughout the day.

3. The time you take your calcium is important because calcium taken with a meal is usually better absorbed than calcium taken without a meal (6). 

4. Take a dose of calcium at bedtime. Adding calcium at night seems to result in less removal of calcium from our bones during the night (7).

5. Calcium combined with Vitamin D increases calcium absorption, so vitamin D added to your calcium supplement is a good thing. Get all your vitamin D and pregnancy tips here.

One Last Perk About Calcium

Much research shows calcium supplementation during pregnancy decreases the severity of complications brought on by preeclampsia and also decreases your risk of delivering a premature baby (8, 9), especially in teenagers.

If you would like to read more pregnancy blogs, check out Prenatal Vitamins During Pregnancy, Probiotics During Pregnancy, and Vitamin D Tips During Pregnancy.

Bottom Line: Get your calcium from your diet whenever possible, and if you need additional calcium, look for a highly absorbable form and spread your dosage throughout the day.

In Health and Happiness,

Kelly Harrington, MS, RDN

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist for Healthy Goods

References:

1.  Cross NA, Hillman LS, Allen SH, Krause GF, Vieira NE. Calcium homeostasis and bone metabolism during pregnancy, lactation, and postweaning: a longitudinal study. Am J Clin Nutr 1995;61:514–23.  

2.  Pennington JAT. Bowes and Church’s food values of portions commonly used. 15th ed. New York: Harper & Row, 1989.

3.  US Department of Agriculture. Composition of foods: vegetables and vegetable products. Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office, 1989. (Agriculture Handbook no. 8-11)

4.  Institute of Medicine. Dietary reference intakes for calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, vitamin D, and fluoride. Washington, DC:  National Academy Press, 1997.

5.  Wilkinson R. Absorption of calcium, phosphate and magnesium. In:  Nordin BEC, ed. Calcium, phosphate and magnesium metabolism.  New York: Churchill Livingstone, 1976:36-1 12.

6.  Heaney RP, Smith KT, Recker RR, Hinders SM. Meal effects on calcium absorption. Am I Clin Nutr 1989:49:372-6.

7.  Blumsohn A, Al-Dehaimi AW, Hemngton K, Shao P. Eyre DR.  Eastell R.  Effect of timing of calcium supplementation on the circadian rhythm of bone collagen degradation.  Bone Miner Res 1993;8(suppl):S 158(abstr).

8.  Imdad A, Bhutta ZA.  Effects of calcium supplementation during pregnancy on maternal, fetal and birth outcomes.  Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol.  2012 Jul;26 Suppl 1:138-52.

9.  Villar J et al.  World Health Organization randomized trial of calcium supplementation among low calcium intake pregnant women.  Am J Obstet Gynecol.  2006 Mar; 194(3):639-49.  

Imagine swimming 2.4 miles with hundreds of people in choppy, cold water. After swimming for 1 hour and 15 minutes, you finally finish; only to climb out of the water, lace up your cycling shoes, and hop on your road bike. You’re beginning a 112 mile ride. This lengthy cycling ride takes you about 6 hours and 30 minutes. As if that’s not enough, now you have to run. Not just any run, but a 26.2 mile run, aka, a full marathon. This may take around 4 hours and 45 minutes. The average triathlete exercises for about 12 hours and 35 minutes straight! Needless to say, after it’s all said and done, you need recovery food!  Lots of it and ASAP!

Is it possible for an endurance athlete to effectively train for a massive competition, successfully compete in, and then completely refuel if they eat vegan? It is safe to say, yes, a vegan diet is able to sustain an active lifestyle at all competitive levels, even Ironman triathlons. Vegans rely on fruits, vegetables, leafy greens, whole grains, nuts, seeds, beans and legumes as their staples. 

Brendan Brazier is a former professional Ironman triathlete and two-time Canadian 50km Ultra Marathon Champion. He also follows a vegan diet. In fact, he is so passionate about eating clean and healthy, he created his own nutrition line to support his eating lifestyle and extreme activity level. Vega products are created using high quality, plant-based superfoods, with little processing. I highly recommend them. Check them out: Vega products 

Overall, a well-balanced vegan diet tends to be lower in saturated fat and cholesterol and higher in fiber, magnesium, potassium, vitamin C, vitamin E, folate, and a wide range of phytochemicals compared to diets that include animal products. 

However, vegans may have lower intakes of protein, vitamin B₁₂, calcium, vitamin D, iron, zinc, and omega-3 fatty acids. Let’s take a closer look at these key nutrients vegan athletes want to pay closer attention to.  

Protein

Needed to maintain and build muscle and other tissues, making it critical for any athlete. Too little protein paired with too many carbohydrates and your performance may suffer.  An athlete’s protein needs vary according to the type of activity and level of training.  Daily needs typically range from 0.5 to 0.8 grams per pound of body weight. But vegans should consume 10% more than the typical recommendations because plant-based protein sources such as soy, legumes, nuts, seeds, grains, and vegetables, are more difficult to absorb than animal sources.    

For example, a 140-pound runner requires 70 to 112 grams of protein per day. If the athlete is vegan, a more appropriate protein recommendation is 77 to 123 grams per day, or an extra 2 Tablespoons of nut butter and a vegan bar. For a 220-pound football player, protein needs are 132 to 176 grams per day. If the player is vegan, the recommendations jumps to 145 to 193 grams of protein, or an additional ½ cup to 1 cup of peanuts daily.

Calories

Vegan athletes often have to consume more food than non-vegans to meet caloric needs, maintain body weight, and optimize training. Many vegan diets are nutrient-dense but may not be calorie-dense, so athletes need to make sure they are meeting their calorie needs. Vegan athletes should plan ahead to have food with them as much as possible and snack on high-calorie options like nuts, nut butters, seeds, and dried fruit. Vegan sports bars also come in handy when you need a quick snack.

Vitamin B₁₂

This critical vitamin is only found in animal products. Vitamin B₁₂ is required for the production of red blood cells and in tissue repair and maintenance, including the central nervous system. Severe B₁₂ deficiency may result in megaloblastic anemia, which results in tired and weak bodies, and will reduce endurance performance. Adding a B₁₂ multivitamin or consuming ample vitamin B₁₂-fortified foods such as whole grains, soy milk, meat alternatives, or bars, is essential to getting the recommended 2.4 mcg a day. 

Calcium

Athletes may be prone to stress fractures and muscle cramps. Calcium plays a key role in optimizing bone strength and is an essential component for proper muscle contraction. Since a vegan diet doesn’t include dairy products, a main calcium source, vegans tend to fall below the daily recommendations of 1,000-1,300 mg/day.

Structured vegan diets should contain ample sources of highly bioavailable calcium from items such as broccoli, collards, calcium-set tofu, fortified fruit juices, and some fortified almond/soy milks.

Still, a calcium supplement is often recommended to meet the body’s needs.

Iron

Even marginal iron deficiency can hurt athletic performance. Iron carries oxygen from the lungs to the working muscles. When your iron is low, you are likely to feel fatigued, have a drop in your performance, and a weakened immune system. Athletes who are at the highest risk of suffering from iron-deficiency anemia include the following:

• Vegetarians/Vegans who don’t eat red meat (the best dietary source of iron) or iron-enriched breakfast cereals.
• Marathon runners, who may damage red blood cells by pounding their feet on the ground during training.
• Female athletes who lose iron through menstrual blood.
• Endurance athletes, who may lose iron through heavy sweat losses. Iron requirements for endurance athletes, especially distance runners, are increased by approximately 70%.
• Teenage athletes, particularly girls, who are growing quickly and may consume inadequate iron to meet expanded requirements.

One pitfall about iron…iron from plant-based foods is not absorbed as well as iron from animal foods, so the recommended intake for vegans is 1.8 times greater. For example, an adult female should consume 32 mg of iron daily versus 18 mg for a non-vegetarian, and an adult male vegan requires 14 mg per day rather than 8 mg.

A multivitamin containing iron is generally added to a vegan diet. 

Iron Tip: The iron in sprouted grains, legumes, and fermented foods, such as miso and tempeh is absorbed more readily.

Vitamin D

Vegan or not, this is one vitamin many people are low in. Athletes who train primarily indoors throughout the year, such as gymnasts, wrestlers, and figure skaters, are at risk for poor vitamin D status. Vitamin D is critical for bone health and increases calcium absorption. It’s also involved in immune system function. Having inadequate levels of Vitamin D can increase your risk of developing stress fractures and other bone-related problems, plus a suppressed immune system makes you vulnerable to getting sick more often. To meet your needs, consider a combination of vitamin D fortified foods, exposure to sunlight, and vitamin D supplementation.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Following a vegan diet makes it difficult to obtain the recommended 1.1 to 1.6 grams per day of omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in fatty fish and fish oils. Omega-3s are critical for overall cardiovascular health, brain health, disease prevention, and they have the potential to decrease inflammation. However, omega-3 fatty acid deficiency may become less of a concern by combining nuts, seeds (especially flax), vegetable oils, algae, and some leafy greens with fortified foods such as soy milk, rice milk, and vegan bars.

Refueling

For the endurance athletes out there, don’t forget to eat a well-balanced diet within 30 minutes of completing your workout—high in carbohydrates with some protein. The extra carbohydrates, along with a little protein, will replenish your depleted glycogen muscle stores. This makes for a better workout the next day and will reduce your risk of “hitting the wall.”

Bottom Line: Take careful consideration when choosing your food in order to get the recommended amounts of all the nutrients your body needs to reach its peak performance. Consider taking supplements for the nutrients you have a hard time getting from your food.

In Health and Happiness,

Kelly Harrington, MS, RDN

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist for Live Superfoods

References:

1. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Position Paper: Vegetarianism.

2. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Position Paper: Nutrition and Athletic Performance.

3. Kundrat, Susan, MS, RD, CSSD.  Veggies Galore.  Training-Conditioning: Oct. 2013.

What happens when you take meat, eggs, and dairy out of a person’s diet? Getting the nutrition you need from a vegan diet is possible, but certainly takes a clear understanding of the hurdles involved when eliminating food groups.

Traditional Vegan Diet

The traditional vegan diet is plant-based and excludes all animal products, including meat, dairy, and eggs. Food items derived from animal sources are usually also removed from the diet, such as gelatin and honey. 

It's well researched that a well-balanced vegan diet tends to be lower in saturated fat and cholesterol and higher in fiber, magnesium, potassium, vitamin C, vitamin E, folate, and a wide range of phytochemicals than diets that include animal products. 

Preventing Deficiencies

On the other hand, vegans may have lower intakes of protein, vitamin B₁₂, calcium, iron, vitamin D, and long-chain omega-3 fatty acids. Let’s take a closer look at the nutrients vegans will want to pay closer attention to.

Protein

Needed for maintaining and building muscle and other tissues. Vegans typically need 10% more protein than non-vegans because plant-based protein sources such as soy, legumes, nuts, seeds, grains, and vegetables, are more difficult to absorb than animal sources. It is possible for a poorly designed vegan diet to fall short in protein, so be sure not to neglect this important part of the diet.

Vitamin B₁₂

This critical vitamin is only found in animal products. Vitamin B₁₂ is essential for the maintenance of optimal nerve function, healthy cells, and prevention of megaloblastic anemia, which results in tired and weak bodies. Adding a B₁₂ multivitamin or consuming ample vitamin B12-fortified foods such as soy milk, meat alternatives, or bars, is essential to getting the recommended 2.4 mcg a day. 

Calcium

Calcium plays a key role in optimizing bone strength and is essential for muscle contraction. Plant-based diets typically don’t include dairy products, a main calcium source, so vegans tend to fall below the daily recommendations of 1,000-1,300 mg per day.

Structured vegan diets should contain ample sources of highly bioavailable calcium from items such as broccoli, collards, calcium-set tofu, fortified fruit juices, and some fortified almond/soy milks.

Still, a calcium supplement is often recommended to meet the body’s needs.

Iron

This mineral is a vital component of proteins and enzymes that maintain health. Iron also carries oxygen in the blood and helps facilitate the delivery of oxygen to cells. When iron is low, fatigue, decreased performance (for exercisers), and lowered immunity can result. One pitfall about iron…iron from plant-based foods is not absorbed as well as iron from animal foods, so the recommended intake for vegans is 1.8 times greater. For example, an adult female should consume 32 mg of iron daily versus 18 mg for a non-vegetarian, and an adult male vegan requires 14 mg per day rather than 8 mg.

A multivitamin containing iron is generally added to a vegan diet. 

Iron Tip: The iron in sprouted grains, legumes, and fermented foods, such as miso and tempeh is absorbed more readily.

Vitamin D

Vegan or not, this is one vitamin so many people are low in. It plays a key role in bone health and immune system function. Having inadequate levels of Vitamin D can increase your risk of developing stress fractures and other bone-related problems, plus a suppressed immune system makes you vulnerable to getting sick more often. Consider a combination of vitamin D fortified foods, such as orange juice, exposure to sunlight, and vitamin D supplementation to meet your needs.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Following a vegan diet makes it difficult to obtain the recommended 1.1 to 1.6 grams per day of omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in fatty fish and fish oils. Omega-3s are critical for overall cardiovascular health, brain health, disease prevention, and they have the potential to decrease inflammation. However, omega-3 fatty acid deficiency may become less of a concern by combining nuts, seeds (especially flax), vegetable oils, algae, and some leafy greens with fortified foods such as soy milk, rice milk, and vegan bars.

Making the Switch

If you’re considering a vegan diet, one suggestion is to make “food switches” rather than simply removing foods from your diet. Find comparable substitutes for foods to replace potentially missing nutrients. For example, if you want to eliminate all meat products, find foods to swap that are nutritionally similar in terms of total calories and key nutrients provided. Sometimes a combo of foods can do the trick. Common switches include beans and brown rice for meat or poultry, nuts and seeds for fish, soy milk for cow’s milk, and “veggie” jerky for meat jerky.

Bottom Line:

With some education and planning, implementing a vegan diet can support a person’s nutritional needs.

In Health and Happiness,

Kelly Harrington, MS, RDN

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist for Live Superfoods

References:

1.  Institute of Medicine, Food and Nutrition Board. Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Arsenic, Boron, Chromium, Copper, Iodine, Iron, Manganese, Molybdenum, Nickel, Silicon, Vanadium, and Zinc. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 2001.

2.  The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Position Paper: Vegetarianism.

3.  Davis, Brenda, RD & Melina, Vesanto, MS, RD.  Becoming Vegan:  The Complete Guide to Adopting a Healthy Plant-based Diet. Summertown, TN:  Book Publishing Company. 2000.

4.  Kundrat, Susan, MS, RD, CSSD.  Veggies Galore.  Training-Conditioning: Oct. 2013.

Packed with protein, but delicious like a dessert, this protein shake is a great way to either start your day or include as a mid-afternoon snack. It would also be an effective post-workout, recovery meal. It’s easy to make, nutritious, and has the option of being vegan, depending on the protein powder you choose. I personally prefer whey protein, and if you also like whey protein, consider purchasing a whey protein that comes from grass-fed cows never given antibiotics, bovine growth hormone or any other hormones, or never fed genetically modified organisms.

This shake is a great source of calcium, potassium, and flavonoids, a powerful antioxidant.

Recipe for 1 shake:

¾ cup almond milk (I used vanilla flavor)

1 serving protein powder

          For a vegan shake, I use Garden of Life RAW vanilla protein powder 

          For a whey protein shake, I use Dr. Mercola Miracle Whey protein powder vanilla   

½ - 1 tsp. cacao powder     

½ banana (I recommend using one of those brown bananas you have in your freezer! The overripe banana adds much more flavor.)

Blend. Add ice. Blend again. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts for the Garden of Life RAW Protein Shake:

Nutrition Facts for Dr. Mercola's Miracle Whey Protein Shake:

What's your favorite smoothie recipe?

In Health and Happiness,

Kelly Harrington, MS, RDN

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist for Healthy Goods