Calcium absorption from kale

Abstract

Absorption of calcium from intrinsically labeled kale was measured in 11 normal women and compared in these same subjects with absorption of calcium from labeled milk. The average test load was 300 mg. Fractional calcium absorption from kale averaged 0.409 ± 0.101 (x̄ ± SD) and from milk, 0.321 ± 0.089 (P < 0.025). In contrast with the poor absorption previously reported for spinach calcium, kale, a low-oxalate vegetable, exhibits excellent absorbability for its calcium.