Calcium tablets replace milk? Expert: The key lies in the absorption rate

Last year, the Taipei City Government launched a policy of providing elementary school children with "one free bottle of fresh milk per week." However, Mayor Ko Wen-je was reportedly planning to call it a halt. When questioned by city council members, he also said that if students wanted to supplement calcium, it would be most economical to give each of them one calcium tablet. This move has caused many parents to worry that their children will not be able to drink fresh milk to supplement calcium at school, which may even affect their growth. They also doubt whether calcium tablets can really replace milk as the main source of calcium intake for children.

Can calcium tablets really replace milk and become the main source of calcium intake for children?

How can Chinese children supplement calcium? 1000mg daily is just right

Wu Yingrong, executive director of the Taiwan Nutrition Foundation and a doctor of nutrition, said that according to the National Nutrient Reference Intake for Chinese People issued by the Department of Health, Executive Yuan, it is recommended that elementary school children consume about 1,000 mg of calcium per day, which is enough to meet the needs of bone growth and development.

But how should we eat to get enough calcium? In fact, common foods in daily life such as milk, soy milk, yogurt, cheese, etc. are all very good sources of calcium. Among them, milk with a calcium content of more than 100 mg per 100 grams is the most convenient. Drinking about 1.5 to 2 cups (240ml/cup) of milk every day can easily supplement nearly half of the recommended daily calcium intake.

Most importantly, in addition to providing the calcium needed by the human body, milk is also rich in potassium, magnesium, zinc, vitamin B2, vitamin A, niacin, protein and other nutrients that are beneficial to the human body. It can be said to be a very rich source of nutrition.

The calcium and phosphorus ratio in milk is appropriate, and the lactose component is easily broken down by intestinal cells, which is beneficial to the absorption of calcium.

Calcium tablets as a substitute for milk? Poor absorption rate by the human body

As for whether calcium tablets can replace milk and be used as the main calcium supplement? CEO Wu Yingrong said that taking calcium tablets in moderation is indeed one way to supplement calcium. However, from a nutritional point of view, compared with natural calcium tablets obtained from oysters and bone meal, and synthetic calcium tablets such as calcium carbonate, calcium citrate, and calcium lactate, milk calcium is easier to be absorbed and used by the human body, and has better absorption efficiency.

In addition, the calcium and phosphorus ratio in milk is appropriate, and the lactose component is easily broken down by intestinal cells, which is beneficial to the absorption of calcium. Therefore, compared with calcium in other food types, milk can be said to be the most natural, high-calcium, most easily obtained, and most easily absorbed source of calcium by the human body.

Calcium supplements are not limited to milk! Black sesame and dried fish for strength

However, CEO Wu Yingrong also emphasized that in order to successfully supplement calcium, in addition to drinking milk in moderation, parents can also help their children choose natural fruits and vegetables rich in calcium to replace them, so as to increase the variety of their children's daily diet. For example, low-oxalate vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, kale, and rapeseed, although their calcium content is not that high, their calcium absorption rate is 50-60%, making them all good sources of calcium.

In addition to the above common calcium-rich vegetables, CEO Wu Yingrong also provided her "Are You Eating the Right Nutrition? 》, the "Food Replacement Table for 100 mg of Calcium" is for your reference. As long as you make good use of the following foods high in calcium, you can easily supplement calcium and maintain good bone structure even if you don’t drink milk.

"Food Replacement Table for 100 mg of Calcium" (Source: provided by Wu Yingrong, Executive Director of the Taiwan Nutrition Foundation)

If you want to effectively absorb and utilize the calcium you eat, it is very important to moderately supplement with vitamin D, which helps the intestines effectively absorb calcium and reuse it. Moderate sun exposure to allow the sun to activate the body's vitamin D is a good way to do this.

Absorption is doubled! Vitamin D helps calcium absorption

But calcium supplementation alone is not enough! In order to effectively absorb and utilize the calcium you eat, it is very important to moderately supplement with vitamin D, which helps the intestines absorb calcium effectively and reuse it. In addition to getting vitamin D from animal foods such as liver and egg yolks, a good way is to spend 10-15 minutes a day in the sun when it is not so bright to let the sun activate the body's vitamin D.