“Won’t give in and I won’t feel guilty.
Rant and rave to manipulate me.
From the nipple to the bottle never satisfied.
From the nipple to the bottle now the cow must die”
Grace Jones, Nipple to the Bottle, 1982, Island Records.
Calcium is one of the most important and abundant minerals in the human body. Your bones are living tissue made of a protein-based matrix onto which hard minerals such as calcium and silicon are deposited. The heart, muscles, blood, nerves, cell membranes and bone structures all rely on calcium. The calcium in plant foods is far better absorbed than the calcium in cow’s milk (barely 35% at most). Just two tablespoons of tahini or five figs deliver almost 200mg of calcium each. Children in Japan, China and other countries consume around 300mg of calcium daily on a plant-based wholefood diet with a fit, active lifestyle and still develop strong, healthy lifelong bones.
Calcium myth #1: You need to take pills to get your calcium
This is totally incorrect. Making dietary changes to increase your intake, uptake, absorption and utilization of calcium is a smart idea but calcium in natural plants should always be the choice for calcium supplementation. The amount of calcium absorbed depends on its interaction with other constituents. Food calcium is nine times more absorbed into the blood than calcium carbonate pills and three times more than calcium gluconate pills. The single most important aspect when eating calcium foods is that it is digested, utilized and retained in the body by getting into the bones, as absorption into the bones is key.
Calcium myth #2: You need to take calcium/magnesium pills in a 2:1 ratio
This is also 100% incorrect. The ultimate bone-building superfood (human breast milk) is at a natural ratio of 10:1. The world’s healthiest older centenarians did not eat foods that were ‘2 parts calcium’ to ‘1 part magnesium’ at the same time and they lived long healthy lives with strong bones without any pills. The Chinese, Polish, Japanese & African-Americans have had strong bones for thousands of years without ever taking calcium and magnesium in a 2:1 ratio. It is simply marketing spin to get you to buy pills. The only people who tell you to get your calcium in a 2:1 mix with magnesium are the people selling man-made calcium pills (usually made from b-grade, degreased cow bones, rock or chalk, with added sheep-lanolin-extract). Calcium and magnesium can fight for absorption so eating foods rich in both nutrients spread out through the day is the smartest and easiest solution.
GOLDEN Rule 7: Eat a Local, Balanced, Plant-Based Wholefood Diet
GOLDEN Rule 19: Get your Nutrients from your Food
Jason wishes to deeply thank, acknowledge and recognise the effort and contribution that the PIF Foundation has provided on a voluntary basis since 2014, as we educated, motivated and inspired change that helps transform the health, vitality and longevity of people all over the world.
