Soy Products as Sources of Calcium in the Diets of Chinese Americans

Abstract

In a recent issue of the Journal, Lv and Brown (1Lv N. Brown J.L. Place of dairy products in the Chinese-American family food system.J Am Diet Assoc. 2010; 110: 1207-1215Google Scholar) examined the attitudes of Chinese Americans toward dairy products in an attempt to understand how nutrition educators can encourage increased dairy consumption among this group. They conclude that: “Nutrition educators can encourage introduction of dairy products into the traditional dietary pattern of Chinese Americans by offering opportunities to taste unfamiliar dairy products … ”. In our view, a more useful approach to increasing calcium intake would be to encourage the use of calcium-set tofu and calcium-fortified soy milk. The calcium content of and fractional calcium absorption from these products is comparable to cow's milk (2Zhao Y. Martin B.R. Weaver C.M. Calcium bioavailability of calcium carbonate fortified soymilk is equivalent to cow's milk in young women.J Nutr. 2005; 135: 2379-2382Google Scholar, 3Weaver C.M. Heaney R.P. Connor L. Martin B.R. Smith D.L. Nielsen E. Bioavailability of calcium from tofu vs. milk in premenopausal women.J Food Sci. 2002; 68: 3144-3147Google Scholar). As Curry stated a decade ago, “In nutrition counseling, … sensitivity to the strong influence of culture on an individual's food intake, attitudes, and behaviors is especially imperative” (4Curry K.R. Multicultural competence in dietetics and nutrition.J Am Diet Assoc. 2000; 100: 1142-1143Google Scholar). Tofu and soy milk have long been a part of the traditional Chinese diet. By educating Chinese Americans about the most calcium-rich choices among different brands of soy products, registered dietitians can encourage adequate calcium intake while remaining respectful of cultural dietary patterns. In a recent issue of the Journal, Lv and Brown (1Lv N. Brown J.L. Place of dairy products in the Chinese-American family food system.J Am Diet Assoc. 2010; 110: 1207-1215Google Scholar) examined the attitudes of Chinese Americans toward dairy products in an attempt to understand how nutrition educators can encourage increased dairy consumption among this group. They conclude that: “Nutrition educators can encourage introduction of dairy products into the traditional dietary pattern of Chinese Americans by offering opportunities to taste unfamiliar dairy products … ”. In our view, a more useful approach to increasing calcium intake would be to encourage the use of calcium-set tofu and calcium-fortified soy milk. The calcium content of and fractional calcium absorption from these products is comparable to cow's milk (2Zhao Y. Martin B.R. Weaver C.M. Calcium bioavailability of calcium carbonate fortified soymilk is equivalent to cow's milk in young women.J Nutr. 2005; 135: 2379-2382Google Scholar, 3Weaver C.M. Heaney R.P. Connor L. Martin B.R. Smith D.L. Nielsen E. Bioavailability of calcium from tofu vs. milk in premenopausal women.J Food Sci. 2002; 68: 3144-3147Google Scholar). As Curry stated a decade ago, “In nutrition counseling, … sensitivity to the strong influence of culture on an individual's food intake, attitudes, and behaviors is especially imperative” (4Curry K.R. Multicultural competence in dietetics and nutrition.J Am Diet Assoc. 2000; 100: 1142-1143Google Scholar). Tofu and soy milk have long been a part of the traditional Chinese diet. By educating Chinese Americans about the most calcium-rich choices among different brands of soy products, registered dietitians can encourage adequate calcium intake while remaining respectful of cultural dietary patterns. Place of Dairy Products in the Chinese-American Family Food SystemJournal of the American Dietetic AssociationVol. 110Issue 8PreviewChinese Americans have a high risk of osteoporosis and their calcium intake is substantially below the daily recommendation. However, little has been done to reduce the risk of this hard-to-reach population. This theory-based qualitative study explored how first-generation Chinese American couples with children view dairy products, how they use them in their family food system, and how these uses influence their dietary behavior or intake. Twenty couples, recruited from weekend Chinese schools at three locations in Pennsylvania, were interviewed. Full-Text PDF Authors' ResponseJournal of the American Dietetic AssociationVol. 110Issue 12PreviewWe appreciate the comments and wholeheartedly agree that this group of immigrants may find calcium-rich soy products more acceptable than dairy products. Traditional Chinese soy milk and tofu (coagulated with nigari, mainly magnesium chloride) are not rich in calcium. Nowadays, calcium-fortified soy milk and tofu made with calcium sulfate are growing in popularity. Full-Text PDF