The Lowdown on Calcium

Calcium is one of the most misunderstood nutrients.

The range of confusion varies from those who think dairy products contain the most absorbable type of this mineral to people who think spinach is a great source of calcium.

Let's clarify these points.

Are dairy products a good source of calcium? Yes. After all, eight ounces of milk provide a third of the daily value of calcium.

Are dairy products the only way to get calcium? Absolutely not.

Do dairy products provide calcium with the highest bioavailability? No.

Consider the following:

Eight ounces (one cup) of milk contain 300 milligrams of calcium.

A half cup of cooked bok choy provides 79 milligrams of calcium.

To someone unfamiliar with nutrition, the conclusion might seem obvious: "I need two cups of bok choy to get as much calcium as a cup of milk!"

Alas, nutrition science isn't always as obvious as it seems.

You actually only need one and a quarter cups of cooked bok choy to match the calcium you would get from a cup of milk since the calcium in bok choy is more absorbable than the one in dairy products.

The same thing happens with Chinese cabbage. A half cup of this cooked vegetable offers 239 milligrams of calcium, but that equals the amount of absorbable calcium in a cup of milk.

Let's now turn our attention to spinach. I am continually amazed by the amount of self-touted (though, clearly, not really) nutritione experts who list this vegetable as a good source of calcium.

A half cup of cooked spinach offers 115 milligrams of calcium. However, due to its high amount of oxalates (organic acids naturally found in spinach that inhibit calcium absorption), it takes EIGHT cups of cooked spinach to equal the amount of absorbable calcium in one cup of milk.

It just so happens that unlike spinach, the Brassica family of plants -- including broccoli, kale, bok choy, cabbage, and mustard greens) does not accumulate oxalate, thereby providing highly absorbable calcium.

I know some people like their nutrition advice in absolute form ("NEVER eat this, ALWAYS eat this), it's not my style.

My suggestions provide you with plenty of choices. If you like milk, drink it -- it provides a significant amount of calcium.

If you don't like it or don't want to include it in your diet, no need to worry about calcium as long as you include greens from the Brassica family and other non-dairy sources (tofu, tempeh, almonds, calcium-fortified alternative milks, etc.) in your diet.

You Ask, I Answer: Broccoli

Is it true that all the nutrition in broccoli is only contained in the florets and that the stalks are nutritionally equivalent to iceberg lettuce?

-- Paul Dwilin
Boston, MA

Insert loud buzzer sound HERE.

That is 100 percent incorrect.

Although broccoli florets house most of the vegetable's phytochemicals and antioxidants, the stalks make their fair share of contributions.

That's where you'll find higher concentrations of vitamin C, fiber, and folate.

Always aim to use as much of a fruit or vegetable as you can. This means eating apple peels, sweet potato skins, and broccoli stalks!

Numbers Game: Answer

According to the United States Department of Agriculture's Dietary Guidelines Scientific Advisory Committee, 93 percent of the United States population does not meet the daily requirement for Vitamin E.

Since Vitamin E plays an important role as an antioxidant, low intake levels allow free radicals more of an opportunity to advance cellular damage.

It is worth nothing that this statistic is not relaying that 93 percent of the population has a vitamin E deficiency.

However, failing to meet daily requirements still has health consequences.

Adults need 15 milligrams (22 International Units) a day, and can rely on seeds, nuts, oils, and vegetables as good sources.

Take a look at this table, outlining the percentage of the daily value contributed by some foods:

Fortified cereals (1 cup): 50 - 70%
Almonds (1 oz.): 40%
Sunflower seeds (1 oz.): 30%
Peanut buter (2 Tbsp.): 20%
Tomato sauce (1/2 cup): 15%
Avocado (1 whole): 15%
Olive oil (1 Tbsp.): 12/5%
Broccoli (cooked, 1/2 cup): 6%
Spinach (cooked, 1/2 cup): 6%
Mango slices (1/2 cup): 6%
Collard greens (cooked, 1/2 cup): 5%

Why swallow a pill when you can eat delicious foods in the name of health?

You Ask, I Answer: Vitamin A

I know this is going to sound weird, but I kind of have an aversion when it comes to eating anything orange or red.

Even if it's supposed to be red (like a tomato), I still get freaked out.

Does this mean I'm not eating Vitamin A?

Paula (last name withheld)
St. Louis, MO

I'm sorry to hear about your aversion, especially since you're missing out on delicious foods like watermelon, strawberries, red peppers, and raspberries!

The good news is, your vitamin A intake is not affected, since green vegetables are also a good source.

Half a cup of cooked broccoli provides 24 percent of the daily requirement, a half cup of cooked peas will give you 34 percent, half a cup of cooked kale contains an excellent 177 percent, and a half cup of spinach packs a mighty 229 percent!

Dairy items also contain vitamin A, although in lower amounts.

A cup of milk fortified with vitamin A contains ten percent of the daily requirement, an ounce of mozarella cheese provides a mere three percent, and an egg contributes approximately seven percent of the daily requirement to your diet.

The most concentrated source of vitamin A is animal liver. A mere ounce (53 calories' worth) of beef liver holds 178 percent of a day's worth!