Calcium Leeching Foods

You are what you eat; a clever maxim that has stood the test of time. While some foods may be healthy in the sense that they have tons of vitamin, minerals and micronutrients that our bodies need to function properly, that same food may be taxing on your body, as digesting it may involve using lots of water, magnesium and calcium.

Teeth and bones are made up of phosphorus, magnesium, fluorides and of course, tons of calcium. Calcium is therefore an extremely important mineral for us, especially for our bones. The foods listed below are foods that dissolve the bonds that hold calcium in place, and thus leach calcium, and should only be consumed in moderation. The American National Osteoporosis Society recommends 1000 milligrams of calcium a day for those over 50, and younger folks need 1200 to replenish their daily use. Scientists also recommend that the calcium come from food and not from dietary supplements, but some foods take calcium away from the body.

Carbonated beverages

Carbonation is nothing more than carbolic acid and phosphoric acid, which is a chemical that destroys calcium. This is why even sugar free soda is bad for your teeth (although not nearly as much), not to mention the fact that cola, orange soda and the other flavoured and fruity drinks are chock full of sugars and sweeteners which are downright terrible for them. Sometimes these sodas seem to be made by greedy dentists, as they are so adapt at ruining the enamel and of destroying teeth; these drinks are poison to our teeth. If you are addicted and cannot stop, simply make sure that you eat more than the recommended dose of calcium AND magnesium, and take supplements next to eating healthy, this way your teeth at least have a fighting chance.

Animal proteins

The proteins form animal products (like dairy, meat and fish) are lipids (made up of glycerine and fatty acids), which are extremely easy to digest. All of the parts of the protein get used up in our body, and these are a very effective source of protein. But a lot of calcium is needed to digest said foods. While dairy and dairy products do have high levels of calcium, the lipids inside animal products leach calcium from bones, teeth, and wherever there may be deposits of the material. Plant based proteins are better for people who have calcium or phosphorus deficiencies.

Salt

Most dieticians suggest 2300 milligrams of slat per day, and not more, but most of us eat twice that easily. A high concentration of sodium is the hallmark of most preserved or canned foods, and this is what most of us eat, especially those of us who live in cities. Sodium chloride or table salt is especially bad for human health, and not just because it causes hypertension and clogs up arteries. Salt also leaches calcium and magnesium, because salt deposits start to appear in the kidneys, and the kidneys draw it to themselves to help get rid of the salts. Mots salts end up in the kidneys, if they do not stick to the walls of the arteries first.

Caffeine

Caffeine can only leach a little bit of calcium, according to studies from the Society for the Research of Osteoporosis. The study researched the effects of sodas, which also draw calcium away from teeth and bones, as we have already written. The amount of calcium that caffeine “uses up” is so negligible that it can easily be replaced by foods we eat. The problem is the compound effect when eaten together with sugars and carbolic acid, as with energy drinks, coke, or chocolate.

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