Because of foods that are high in fat, calories and sugar, and the fact that people are so busy they often have little more than 10 minutes per day, if that, to exercise – weight gain has become a very common problem with many people. In fact, more people are affected by obesity and the health problems associated with carrying around extra weight, than ever before.
There have been conflicting reports about whether calcium has any effect on weight loss, but the dairy industry has produced an entire advertising campaign about calcium and weight loss.
This campaign was brought about because of new research that suggests that including calcium in the diet – in the form of dairy products – has a positive effect on weight loss.
Is There A Link Between Calcium Rich Foods and Weight Loss
A link between the amount of calcium in our diets, and weight loss, has been found in many of the studies that the American Dairy Association (ADA) rely on in their advertising. The link appears to be in the amount of calcium stores in the body, and the subject’s current weight.
The ADA states in their advertising that this research showed a connection between eating 3-4 servings of low fat dairy products each day, and a decrease in the amount of fat stores in the body. A serving of dairy would be one glass of milk, one cup of yogurt, two ounces of cheese, etc.
The research has pointed to a suggestion that calcium will increase the amount of fat the body converts to energy by increasing the body’s core temperature causing it to burn calories at a faster rate. It was also suggested in the studies that people with the highest amount of calcium stores in their body also have the lowest amount of stored fat.
On the other hand, according to an article by Salynn Boyles of WebMD Health News, “In a rigorously designed study (by Switzerland’s University of Lausanne and the Nestle Research Center) to examine the issue (of Calcium weight loss), investigators found no evidence that calcium supplementation influenced energy expenditure or fat burning in overweight people who had a calcium deficiency.”
In an accompanying editorial, Arne Astrup, MD, concludes that “there is still good evidence indicating a role for dietary calcium in weight ‘regulation’.
Greg Miller, PhD, a spokesman for the National Dairy Council, weighed in on the study telling WebMD that “the study addressed just one of several theories about calcium and weight control” and that “there is a good body of evidence that supports a relationship between calcium intake, dairy intake, and weight and body fat regulation.”
Dr. Miller also pointed out that “the study did not address the role of calcium and protein-rich foods in controlling appetite.” According to the article, new research also suggests that calcium may bind fat and decrease its absorption from the intestinal tract.
In other studies, according to the National Dairy Council, “researchers at the University of Tennessee conducted a clinical trial to further investigate the role that dairy foods (calcium rich foods) specifically milk, cheese and yogurt, play in weight loss. At the end of the 24 week trial, those on the high dairy diet lost the greatest percentage of body weight and body fat.”
According to one doctor, “A diet low in calcium stimulates the production of fat-producing enzymes that break down fat.
So the moral of the calcium story is to not dump dairy when you’re dieting. A diet rich in low-fat dairy foods like yogurt can help make your weight loss efforts easier.”
Unfortunately, popular diets that promise quick weight loss are often low in dairy products – the very foods that contain the highest amounts of calcium, and this also affects the potential for bone loss and osteoporosis. Women who control the amount of eating they do each day can be at risk for a number of deficiencies because they miss vital vitamins and minerals.
Calcium Rich Foods In A Plant-Based Diet
The list of high calcium foods include – but are not limited to – milk, cheese, yogurt, ice cream, baked beans, dried figs, broccoli, cauliflower, wild salmon, nuts (especially soybeans and almonds) and most dark green leafy vegetables.
When asked about meeting calcium needs on a plant-based diet, the American Institute for Cancer Research had this, in part, to say: “A plant-based diet means eating mostly, not only, plant foods. So you can get most of your calcium from dairy products, which provide calcium in concentrated amounts in a well-absorbed form.
Current federal recommendations for adults of 1000 to 1200 mg of calcium per day can be met by eating healthy foods in a variety that includes 2.5 to 3 servings of milk, yogurt or cheese. You can also choose plant-based options for some or all of those servings.”
Are Calcium Supplements Necessary?
“To get an amount of absorbed calcium from vegetables equivalent to one serving of dairy products requires: 1/2 cup of Chinese cabbage, 1 to 1 1/2 cups kale or bok choy, more than 2 cups of broccoli, and 8 cups of cooked spinach. For individuals who can’t or don’t want to develop a combination of these options to meet their calcium needs, a calcium supplement would be advised.”
Dr. Reed Mangels, from the Vegetarian Resource Group, also comments on the influence high amounts of animal protein have on our bodies’ loss of calcium . Quoting a study published in the Journal of Nutrition in 2003 he states “Some studies show that diets that are high in protein, especially animal protein, do cause increased losses of calcium in the urine…” This means that the recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of calcium may fluctuate for individuals based on the amount of animal protein they consume regularly.
The current RDA for calcium is 1000-1200 mg per day, but most Americans normally consume between 500-700 mg. A supplement such as coral calcium may be necessary, unless the diet includes lots of foods high in calcium, to avoid the increased risk of bone loss and osteoporosis, and also to take advantage of the potential benefit for calcium and weight loss.
The conclusion is that you should always consult your doctor before starting any weight loss plan, especially if you are under 18 years of age, pregnant, nursing or have any health problems. Your normal calcium intake, and also the intake of other vital vitamins and minerals should be determined so that a specific diet that meets your body’s caloric and nutritional needs can be established. A trained registered dietitian can assist you in accomplishing this.
Obviously, the results of current studies linking calcium and weight loss are not conclusive and a judgment cannot be drawn until more research is done, but there’s no doubt that calcium is a necessary component of any healthy weight loss diet plan.
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Great information in your blogpost, I saw this report on television last week about this same thing and since I am getting married a few weeks from now and the timing could not have been better! thanks for the post!