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Some supplements not really needed?
Osteoporosis & Bone Health | Last Active: Sep 4 8:58am | Replies (35)Comment receiving replies
I read that beans also affect the absorption of calcium. I rarely eat meat so I was getting my protein from beans. But then I read they inhibit calcium absorption! My nutritionist suggests not to overdo eating beans - even though I ate them everyday - and to limit eating them when I'm not taking a calcium supplement which is at breakfast and dinner (AM: calcium is in my multi and PM: I take 400 mg). According to information on the websites of both Dr. Andrew Weil and Dr. Gregor, I shouldn't be worrying about this but then again, they don't have osteoporosis. I just want to make sure I'm not inhibiting any calcium absorption because of the beans in my diet. For now, I curtailed eating them and have resorted to eating a bit more meat to get more protein. [sigh] You just never know what the right thing to do.
Replies to "I read that beans also affect the absorption of calcium. I rarely eat meat so I..."
I also was consuming beans as a source of protein but doctor explained there are problems with beans. Can't seem to win.
I'm confused by this statement as beans are actually a good source of calcium. The only true negative I can find is they can cause gastrointestinal issues, but I think we already know that.
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I don't worry too much about phytates and lectins. I feel like if we eat a wide variety of foods, our bodies know what to do to extract the nutrients. Eating large quantities of any particular food may create imbalances so if we vary our sources, we're likely to introduce a broader array of nutrients. You can also soak your beans to limit the anti-nutrients and eat other protein sources to balance. If you are eating more meat, if you get grass-fed/organic, you're increasing the nutrient content and lessening the toxic components as compared to conventionally raised beef.
Like @doreenc, I use Consumer Lab for my information on supplements. They are a non-commercial source that you can trust. I've used them for as long as they have been around and they keep getting better. Aside from supplements, they provide info on herbs, how foods and supplements impact certain health conditions as well as testing on foods for heavy metals which I have found invaluable in selecting my whole grains, cocoa powders, nuts and seeds. I refer to them constantly. Well worth the annual fee.