Ingredients Exposed Series: Calcium Sulfate · Holistic Product Tester Group

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Ingredients Exposed Series: Calcium Sulfate

The “plaster additive” in your food and supplements

What sounds like an innocent mineral supplement or baking aid is actually a refined industrial compound often used as a firming agent, flour treatment, or calcium source. “Calcium sulfate” (also known as gypsum) is added to foods and supplements, but depending on source and processing, it can carry contaminants and cause digestive, metabolic, or mineral imbalance concerns.

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂’𝗹𝗹 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗔𝗱𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲

Calcium sulfate (listed as “calcium sulfate,” “gypsum,” E516, or “food-grade calcium”) shows up in:

• Packaged tofu (as a coagulant)

• Baking powders and self-rising flours

• Pickles and canned vegetables (as a firming agent)

• Fortified nutritional supplements, protein powders, and meal replacements

• Certain processed cheeses and breads

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 “𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗰𝗶𝘂𝗺 𝗦𝘂𝗹𝗳𝗮𝘁𝗲” 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗜𝘀

A mineral compound (CaSO₄) used for:

• Firming, stabilizing, or coagulating foods

• Adding calcium in fortified foods or supplements

Industrial roles:

• Plaster, wallboard, cement, and desiccant in non-food industries

• Food-grade sources are purified but can still carry impurities if manufacturing standards vary

In the body:

• Overconsumption may contribute to digestive upset, constipation, or altered mineral balance

• Chronic high intake may affect kidney or cardiovascular health in sensitive populations

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗜𝘁 𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗺 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗕𝗼𝗱𝘆

𝗚𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗿𝘂𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Excess intake can cause bloating, constipation, or interfere with absorption of other minerals.

𝗥𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀: High-dose supplemental calcium sulfate may burden kidneys, especially with preexisting kidney issues.

𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗥𝗶𝘀𝗸: Depending on the source, traces of heavy metals (lead, arsenic) or industrial residues may persist.

𝗔𝗰𝗰𝘂𝗺𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝗕𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗻: Common in multiple processed foods and fortified supplements across a diet.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗕𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘆𝗮𝗹

• EU/UK/Australia: Permitted as a food additive (E516) with purity standards; toxicity concerns generally tied to overuse or contaminated sources.

• USA: FDA recognizes as “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) in regulated amounts, but cumulative exposure is not always considered.

• The deception: an industrial mineral quietly added to foods for texture and calcium fortification.

• The betrayal: widespread use allows hidden chemical exposure while other regions carefully regulate levels in sensitive foods.

𝗛𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗔𝗹𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸

𝗖𝗵𝗼𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗺𝘀:

• Calcium from leafy greens, almonds, chia seeds, bone broth, and dairy (if tolerated)

𝗖𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗕𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴:

• Use non-fortified flours or tofu made with magnesium chloride/sea salt coagulants

𝗔𝘁 𝗛𝗼𝗺𝗲:

• Make fermented tofu, pickles, and sauces with traditional methods to avoid additives

𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴:

• Read labels for “calcium sulfate/gypsum/E516”; prefer organic or additive-free brands

𝗗𝗲𝘁𝗼𝘅 & 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁

• 𝗚𝘂𝘁 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵: Hydration, fiber-rich foods, fermented vegetables

• 𝗞𝗶𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Adequate water, magnesium, potassium-rich foods

• 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗰𝗶𝘂𝗺 𝗕𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲: Diversify calcium sources; avoid over-reliance on fortified foods

𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻

𝗧𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆: Check labels on tofu, pickles, baked goods, and supplements for calcium sulfate/E516.

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸: Swap for additive-free or naturally coagulated tofu, whole foods, and mineral-rich foods.

𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Hydrate, support gut/kidney function, and diversify calcium intake.

𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀: Educate others about hidden industrial minerals in everyday foods.

The fact that an industrial plaster mineral is added to your daily foods should tell you everything you need to know about processed food priorities. Your body deserves real, natural minerals—not chemical shortcuts.

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Sources & Research:

• FDA food additive regulations for calcium sulfate (E516)

• EFSA opinions on food-grade gypsum and cumulative calcium intake

• Toxicology data on high-dose calcium sulfate exposure

• Nutritional studies on calcium absorption from different sources

DISCLAIMER: Educational purposes only; individual experiences may vary. Consult healthcare professionals before major dietary changes or new supplements.

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