Can supplementing calcium and vitamin D help you lose weight? Nutritionists recommend 3 calcium supplement tips

Losing weight is a topic that will never go out of style, but can weight loss only be achieved through calorie control? In fact, adequate intake of calcium and vitamin D is one of the keys to losing weight. However, our calcium intake is seriously insufficient, with adults only getting half of the recommended intake, which makes our calcium nutritional status very poor! Calcium is not only related to bones, but also closely related to weight loss. How to supplement calcium? Can commercially available high-calcium milk help supplement calcium? Let Good Food Class tell you!

If you want to lose weight, supplementing calcium will help you achieve twice the result with half the effort

Can’t lose weight no matter what you do? In addition to controlling calories and exercising more, calcium is also closely related to weight loss. Studies have found that calcium and vitamin D can promote fat oxidation and inhibit fat synthesis in the body.

Obese people often have the problem of insufficient calcium intake, which will promote the secretion of parathyroid hormone in the body and affect fat metabolism. Previous studies have found that obese children have higher concentrations of parathyroid hormone in their bodies. Therefore, some scholars believe that insufficient calcium intake causes an increase in parathyroid hormone, which is closely related to the occurrence of obesity. In addition to having sufficient calcium, adequate intake of vitamin D is also key. Currently, our vitamin D intake is not very good, which will affect the status of calcium and parathyroid hormone in the body and will also be related to obesity.

Studies have also found that low vitamin D levels are associated with obesity, and some scholars believe that supplementing with vitamin D can help with weight loss, so nutritionists also recommend that in addition to calcium, you should also take in enough vitamin D.

Supplement high-calcium foods before exercise to help normal metabolism of fat

Many people also increase their basal metabolic rate through exercise to help metabolize calories and increase muscle mass. However, some studies have found that exercise can cause calcium loss and increase the secretion of parathyroid hormone in the body, which may reduce the efficiency of fat metabolism in the body. Some studies also suggest that supplementing with high-calcium foods 90 minutes before exercise can avoid the problem of decreased blood calcium and increased parathyroid hormone after exercise. As mentioned earlier, the secretion of parathyroid hormone may affect fat metabolism. Therefore, if you can supplement high-calcium foods before exercise, it can help regulate parathyroid hormone and make fat metabolism more normal.

In addition, adequate calcium intake can help athletic performance, prevent cramps, and help maintain bone health, so even those who exercise and do not want to lose weight should pay attention to calcium supplementation.

Nutritionists recommend three tips for calcium supplementation:

➤ Drink enough milk, high-calcium milk is also a good choice

Among the foods that can help supplement calcium, the most easily obtained and easiest to consume in sufficient amounts is milk. Every 100 ml of milk contains 100 mg of calcium. In terms of the recommended amount for adults, just drinking a large can of boxed milk (490 ml) can meet 50% of the daily requirement! There is also calcium-fortified milk on the market. A can of high-calcium milk can meet about 65% of the daily calcium needs.

Some people may worry that high-calcium milk contains added milk fat, but commercially available high-calcium milk labeled "low-fat" or "whole-fat" is regulated by the CNS. In fact, the milk fat content is no different from that of regular "low-fat" or "whole-fat" fresh milk. People who are trying to lose weight do not need to worry about consuming more milk fat. In some previous speaking engagements, I have encountered mothers asking whether it is okay to let their children consume high-calcium milk, as they are worried that the calcium added will have a poor absorption rate or that the additives will have an adverse effect on their children.

The nutritionist also looked at the ingredients of high-calcium milk. If "milk calcium" is added, this is the original form of calcium in milk and has a high absorption rate of about 30%. In addition, milk calcium will not cause intestinal bloating and constipation, and is suitable for children or adults with sensitive stomachs. In terms of other additives, some high-calcium milks are fortified with zinc and magnesium at the same time. These two nutrients are water-soluble minerals needed by the human body. According to the survey on changes in the nutritional health status of the people in Taiwan, the Taiwanese people also have insufficient intake of these two nutrients.

Magnesium can calm the brain's nervous system and maintain emotional stability , while zinc helps with wound healing and hormone production. So if you see these two nutrients added to a food ingredient label, don't worry too much, as they are fortified ingredients. These additives will not cause health problems for children, but mothers are advised to compare food ingredient labels and choose additives that are beneficial to health, which will also provide more peace of mind.

➤ Take high-calcium foods with

Drinking a large can of carton milk every day, such as milk or high-calcium milk, can supplement about 50-65% of the daily calcium needs. However, there will still be a gap of 30-50%, so it is recommended to include other calcium-containing foods in the meal, such as pressed tofu, dried fish, etc., to make up for the remaining calcium needs.

➤ Reduce the intake of foods that inhibit calcium absorption

The crude fiber, oxalic acid and phytic acid content in food will inhibit the absorption of calcium. For example, when spinach and other foods are taken together with milk, the absorption rate of calcium in milk will be reduced by about 30% (link). Therefore, in terms of diet, try to stagger the intake of calcium and these foods. It is also recommended to consume milk or high-calcium milk during breakfast or afternoon tea. At this time, there will be fewer substances that interfere with calcium absorption, so that the calcium in the milk can maintain a high absorption rate.

This article comes from Good Food Class

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