SOY
Soy consists of proteins, fatty acids, and isoflavones, which are estrogen-like, but are derived from plants. Mega consumption of isoflavones can be harmful to people with preexisting low thyroid function. Although soy isoflavones are similar to human estrogen, they are 100,000 times weaker, so unless it is consumed at high levels, the effect is weak.
Unfermented soy contains phylates, which block the body’s absorption of minerals. It also contains enzyme inhibitors that reduce protein digestion. Processed soy protein contains nitrates which may be carcinogenic. For human consumption, soybeans must be cooked with "wet" heat to destroy the trypsin inhibitors (serine protease inhibitors). Because of the phytoestrogen content, some studies have suggested that soybean ingestion may influence testosterone levels in men. However, a 2010 meta-analysis of 15 placebo controlled studies showed that neither soy foods nor isoflavone supplements alter measures of bioavailable testosterone or estrogen concentrations in men.
FOLIC ACID
Vitamin B9 (folic acid) is essential to synthesize DNA, repair DNA, and methylate DNA, and also is used to make red blood cells. It is especially important in aiding rapid cell division and growth, such as in infancy and pregnancy. Children and adults both require folic acid to produce healthy red blood cells and prevent anemia.
Folic acid is named for the Latin word folium (which means "leaf"). Leafy vegetables are a principal source, although in Western diets fortified cereals and bread may be a larger dietary source.
Lack of folic acid during pregnancy may result in spina bifida in the baby. Lack of folic acid in adults may cause megaloblastic anemia (pernicious anemia).
CALCIUM
Calcium is more poorly absorbed by folks eating a high protein diet, or high phosphorus foods (such as soda pop and milk). The average person needs about 1200 mg of calcium per day.
The following are sources of calcium, with the mg listed.
Dairy
Cow’s milk 300 mg per cup
Non-Dairy Sources of Calcium
Carrot juice, fresh 57
Fish, canned salmon eaten with bones 440
Fish, canned sardines or mackerel eaten with bones 569
Molasses, black strap 2820, 176.2 per tablespoon
Molasses, unsulphured 672, 42 per tablespoon
Sesame butter (unhulled sesame seeds) 1022, 63.9 per tablespoon
Sesame butter/ tahini from hulled or decorticated seeds 315.2, 19.7 per tablespoon
Soy beverage, unfortified 9.8
Soy beverage, calcium-fortified variable, check nutrition information; approx 200
Tofu, firm, prepared with calcium 1721
Tofu, regular, prepared with nigari, 260
Vegetarian support nutritional yeast, variable, check nutrition information
Dark green leafy vegetables
Many dark green leafy vegetables have relatively high calcium concentrations. The calcium in spinach is however, somewhat poorly absorbed, probably because of the high concentration of oxalate. The study revealed that kale, a low-oxalate vegetable, is a good source of bio-available calcium. Kale is a member of the same family that includes broccoli, turnip greens, collard greens and mustard greens. These low-oxalate, calcium-rich vegetables are therefore also likely to be better sources of available calcium
cooked turnip greens 450
cookedbokchoy 330
cooked collards 300
cooked spinach 250
cooked kale 200
parsley 200
cooked mustard greens 180
dandelion greens 150
romaine lettuce 40
head lettuce 10
Sprouts
soy 50
mung 35
alfalfa 25
Sea vegetables (seaweed)(dried powdered form)
nori 1,200
kombu 2,100
wakame 3,500
agar-agar 1,000, 62.5 per tablespoon
Beans and Peas (cooked, ready to eat)
navy beans 140
soybeans 130
pinto beans 100
garbanzo beans 95
lima, black beans 60
lentils 50
split peas 20
Grains
tapioca (dried) 300
brown rice, cooked 20
quinoa, cooked 80
corn meal, whole grain 50
rye flour, dark 40
oats 40
tortillas, corn, calcium fortified (2) 120
tortillas, flour or unfortified (2) 23
whole wheat flour 50
Seafood
raw oysters 240
shrimp 300
salmon with bones 490
mackerel with bones 600
sardines with bones 1,000
Seeds
almonds 750
hazelnuts (filbert) 450
walnuts 280
sesame seeds (whole, unhulled) 2,100
sunflower seeds 260
Herbs
The following herbs contain variable amounts of calcium:
borage, lamb's quarter, wild lettuce, nettles, burdock, yellow dock
.
VITAMIN B12 SUPPLEMENTS FOR GASTRIC BYPASS PATIENTS
Supplementation is provided by sublingual B12, 1000 micrograms per week.
The patient’s B12 level should be checked with a blood test every six months
For those who have not had gastric bypass:
Selected Food Sources of Vitamin B12
Food / Micrograms (mcg)per serving / Percent DV*
Liver, beef, braised, 1 slice / 48.0 / 800
Clams, cooked, breaded and fried, 3 ounces / 34.2 / 570
Breakfast cereals, fortified with 100% of the DV for vitamin B12, 1 serving / 6.0 / 100
Trout, rainbow, wild, cooked, 3 ounces / 5.4 / 90
Salmon, sockeye, cooked, 3 ounces / 4.8 / 80
Trout, rainbow, farmed, cooked, 3 ounces / 3.5 / 58
Cheeseburger, double patty and bun, 1 sandwich / 2.1 / 35
Haddock, cooked, 3 ounces / 1.8 / 30
Breakfast cereals, fortified with 25% of the DV for vitamin B12, 1 serving / 1.5 / 25
Yogurt, plain, 1 cup / 1.4 / 23
Beef, top sirloin, broiled, 3 ounces / 1.4 / 23
Tuna, white, 3 ounces / 1.0 / 17
Milk, 1 cup / 0.9 / 15
Cheese, Swiss, 1 ounce / 0.9 / 15
Beef taco, 1 taco / 0.8 / 13
Ham, cured, roasted, 3 ounces / 0.6 / 10
Egg, large, 1 whole / 0.6 / 10
Chicken, roasted, ½ breast / 0.3 / 5