#VitaminStories - Calcium

By Bethan Hamilton, MMSc, ANutr, categorized in Stylish Science

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That stuff that’s good for your bones, right? Correct! However, there is a lot more to calcium than you may think…

What is it?

Calcium is a mineral found in many foods and an essential nutrient for our bodies. Approximately 99% of the calcium in our bodies is stored in our bones with a little also found in teeth.

Why do we need it?

Calcium is essential for strong bones and teeth, but it is also plays a role in our muscle and nerve function, and even contributes to the normal function of digestive enzymes!

Due to its key role, our bodies naturally regulate the levels of calcium absorbed for our needs, even at very low levels of calcium intake. For example, if our calcium levels are low, our bodies will utilise some of the calcium stored in our bones. So, think of your bones as a mini nutrient reservoir that we can call on when needed.

However, if this happens too often, it can ultimately affect our bone health, so making sure we get a regular intake of calcium from our diets is important.

How much do we need?

The recommended daily amount is 800 mg of calcium.

Where do we get calcium from?

In the UK, most of our calcium comes from milk, cereal and cereal products like bread and pasta as flour is fortified with calcium. Additionally, we can get calcium from nuts and green leafy vegetables, like broccoli, kale and cabbage.

Don’t eat dairy? Not to worry, as luckily many plant-based drinks and dairy alternatives to yoghurt are fortified with calcium and other essential vitamins. Therefore, it is very important to check your plant-based alternatives are fortified if you don’t regularly eat dairy products.

Vega Essentials is also a source of calcium from marine algae. Marine Algae draws minerals in from the sea water as it grows by attaching itself to seaweed and digesting the minerals around it. One scoop of Essentials in your morning porridge or smoothie provides 25% of your recommended daily intake.  

Not only this, Vega Essentials is high in vitamin D which supports calcium absorption in our bodies, so it’s the perfect pairing!


Enjoy as part of a healthy lifestyle and balanced diet.

 Bethan Hamilton, MMSc, ANutr

Bethan Hamilton, MMSc, ANutr