Too much calcium can cause kidney stones and too much vitamin D can harm one's kidneys and heart. The report says that both nutrients are needed for strong bones but not for "other health conditions." Widely reported studies that claimed these nutrients helped prevent everything from cancer to diabetes and help with physical performance and healthy reproduction were found to be from studies that provided "mixed and inconclusive results and could not be considered reliable." Wowser!
Here are some calcium values from the USDA National Nutrient Database:
| foods high in calcium | size | calcium (mg) |
| orange juice, fortified with calcium | 1 cup | 500 |
| milk | 1 cup | 352 |
| Cheddar | 1 ounce | 204 |
| collards,cooked | 1/2 cup | 133 |
| black beans, cooked | 1/2 cup | 51 |
| kale, cooked | 1/2 cup | 47 |
| broccoli, raw | 1 cup | 43 |
| chickpeas, cooked | 1/2 cup | 40 |
What to do? I'm going to start taking a calcium supplement again and make sure I get plenty of sunshine and exercise. The IOM says growing kids need up to 1,300 mg of calcium a day, with adults needing from 1,000 to 1,200 mg. The World Health Organization recommends a minimum of only 400-500 mg of calcium a day to prevent osteoporosis in countries with high fracture rates, including the U.S. The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine director of nutrition education Susan Levin says in their response to the IOM study that:
The most healthful calcium sources are green leafy vegetables and legumes, or "greens and beans." Broccoli, collards, kale, and other greens are loaded with highly absorbable calcium and a host of other important nutrients. They’re also low in fat and cholesterol-free.
I'd love to hear what you think, especially those of you who are nutritionists or otherwise have expert knowledge in this area. Please add your 2 mg's worth below.
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