Introduction: Calcium supplementation should be integrated into all aspects of your daily diet; relying solely on calcium pills and milk is far from enough.
1. Use bean paste instead of salt
Fermentation reduces anti-nutritional factors in food, such as phytic acid, that hinder calcium absorption, thereby increasing the absorption rate of calcium. Therefore, it is more beneficial for calcium absorption than large flatbreads.
Additionally, after fermentation, the calcium absorption rate of soybeans can also be increased. Therefore, using fermented bean paste, bean paste, or milk to stew or steam dishes can increase the total amount of calcium in the diet and improve its absorption rate.
Finally, using calcium-rich ingredients to replace salad dressings for salads or fruit platters is also a good method.
2. Vitamin D-rich foods aid absorption
During the calcium absorption process, consuming it with foods rich in vitamin D can also promote calcium absorption and utilization.
Foods rich in vitamin D include fatty fish, animal liver, egg yolks, and cheese. Pairing these with calcium-rich foods can increase the utilization of calcium, such as in the dish of fish stewed with tofu.
3. Blanch to remove oxalic acid This allows the oxalic acid to dissolve in water, removing about 80% of it, which naturally reduces the formation of calcium oxalate and increases calcium absorption. 4. Stewing to dissolve calcium Using the stewing method can dissolve calcium into the soup, which is beneficial for absorption. For example, stewing fish soup or pork rib soup over low heat can promote the dissolution of calcium from the fish meat into the soup, making the calcium in the fish soup easier for the gastrointestinal tract to absorb. 5. A little vinegar for better absorption The acetic acid in vinegar can dissolve inorganic calcium salts into calcium acetate, thereby increasing the calcium ion content in the dish and making it easier for the body to absorb. At the same time, adding vinegar can also better preserve other nutrients like vitamin C, allowing for better calcium absorption. 6. A pressure cooker makes calcium "tender and soft" If you cook fish and shrimp in a pressure cooker, the high pressure can cook the fish bones and shrimp shells until they are tender and soft. This makes the otherwise difficult-to-eat fish bones and shrimp shells easy to swallow, and it can also increase calcium intake and absorption. 7. For more calcium in pork rib soup, don't add salt Pork rib soup is mellow, rich, and nourishing, making it the best comfort for your family as the weather gets colder. However, experts remind that if you want to achieve the effect of strengthening the body and supplementing calcium through pork rib soup, you should use less or no salt. Many people find their calcium supplementation ineffective because they consume too much salt. Research has found: the more salt you consume, the more calcium is excreted in the urine, and the poorer the calcium absorption. It can be said that a high-sodium diet is a major enemy of calcium supplementation. Therefore, when supplementing calcium, people must pay attention to a low-sodium diet and eat less or avoid foods that have added too much sodium during processing and preparation, such as cured or smoked meats, pickled vegetables, and salty snacks. If you want to supplement calcium by drinking pork rib soup, you should use even less salt or no salt at all when simmering the soup.