Exploring Calcium Sources in Vegan Diet from the Perspective of Chinese-Western Fusion Cuisine: The Intersection of Innovation and Nutrition

Donghui Li

European Journal of Public Health and Environmental Research, 2025, vol. 1, issue 1, 19-37

Abstract: Calcium is a key mineral for maintaining human health, especially for bone health and neuro-transmission function. However, vegans often face the problem of insufficient calcium intake due to not consuming any animal-derived foods. Calcium from traditional vegan sources is often less bio-available due to the phytic acid and oxalic acid in the food. This paper explores how fusion cuisine can provide vegans with innovative and nutritious calcium sources through literature re-view and case studies, while increasing calcium bioavailability through specific cooking techniques. In fusion cuisine, the total calcium intake can be effectively increased by carefully selecting and processing calcium-rich ingredients such as tofu, green leafy vegetables, nuts and seaweed. For example, combining tofu with calcium-rich green leafy vegetables such as spinach can not only create a nutritious fusion dish but also reduce the impact of phytic acid through acid-base ad-justment during cooking, thereby improving calcium absorption. In addition, by applying Western cooking methods such as baking and stewing to traditional Eastern ingredients, the bioavailability of calcium in these ingredients can be further increased. The case analysis of this study shows that vegans can not only increase their calcium intake in their daily diet by incorporating Chinese and Western cooking techniques and ingredient choices but also improve their quality of life through food experience. Through innovative Chinese-Western fusion cuisine, vegans can enjoy nutrition-ally balanced and delicious meals without obstacles while meeting their health and nutritional needs. In short, Chinese-Western fusion cuisine shows great potential in solving the problem of insufficient calcium intake common in vegan diets around the world. Through continued explora-tion and innovation, this cooking trend can not only improve the nutritional intake of vegans but also contribute to the diversity and sustainable development of global food culture.

Keywords: vegan; calcium intake; fusion cuisine; bioavailability of ingredients; cooking techniques; nutritional innovation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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