Calcium

Though supplements can be a good addition to the diet, they should not be depended upon as the sole source or a major source of daily calcium. There are several tactics that vegans can employ to ensure adequate intake and maximize absorption.

1. Keep your eyes open for dark leafy greens (especially cooked collards) and whole-grain foods: They're high in calcium, so a varied diet that includes them will help you reach your required daily intake. Other foods with significant calcium levels include tahini, blackstrap molasses, maple syrup, and some mineral waters.
2. Calcium-set tofu and calcium-enriched soy/rice/almond milk are excellent sources of protein and calcium. These are easy additions to the diet in just about every meal.
3. Excessive amounts of sodium interfere with absorption of calcium. Ensure that you keep your consumption below 2,300 mg of sodium, or 4.6 grams of salt.
4. Unfortunately, diets high in fiber also interfere with calcium absorption, so try to make your calcium-rich meals your lower fiber meals.
5. Vitamin D is necessary for calcium-intake regulation so make sure that you are spending enough time outside so that your skin can synthesize adequate amounts of this vitamin. If you live in the northern latitudes you may need a supplement of this vitamin in the winter time and times of less sunlight.
6. High levels of caffeine in the diet limit the amount of calcium absorption. The maximum amount of caffeine that should be consumed in a day is 300 mg, or roughly three cups of fully caffeinated coffee¹

Persons under the age of 18 or those who are still growing past this age should consume 1,300 mg of calcium daily. If you are between the ages of 19 and 50, you should consume 1,000 mg of calcium daily. If you are 50 or older, you should be consuming 1,200 mg of calcium daily².

Calcium is used to build strong bones throughout childhood and adolescence. Peak bone mass is reached in the mid-20s. After this age, bone mass slowly declines throughout life. To maintain excellent bone health until late into life, ensure that you get enough calcium during the deposition years (before peak mass is attained), because after this point, your body will slowly take calcium from your bones and no more bone mass can be accumulated. To minimize the losses after this age, take in enough calcium on a daily basis so your body will only use a very small amount from your bones.

Sources

1. Hoggan, R., Wiss, D. ''Factors that Inhibit Calcium Absorption''. Available at: http://www.paleodiet.com/losspts.txt
2. Williams, M., ''Nutrition for Health, Fitness, and Sport''. McGraw Hill; Boston 2005.