Uses and Sources of Calcium Sulfate

Calcium sulfate or gypsum is a source of calcium used for a variety of purposes. It is mainly used as a food additive and preservative. Calcium sulfate is widely used to manufacture calcium tablets or supplements. Used as an anti-foaming agent and an anti-caking agent, gypsum is one of the most popular food additives. It can be found in various types of food.

Uses of Calcium Sulfate

Since 2000 years, the Chinese have been using calcium sulfate to coagulate soy milk to manufacture tofu. Even today it is widely used for the same purpose. Gypsum is also used to manufacture several medicines apart from calcium tablets. Plaster of Paris is a well known product which can be obtained by mixing calcium sulfate and water. It is used for a variety of purposes. It is also used as a fertilizer which helps to grow healthy plants.

Various Types of Sources

There are many sources of calcium sulfate. Tofu is one of the richest sources of gypsum. 100 Gm of tofu contains enough calcium to provide energy for a day. Tofu is also a rich source of iron, magnesium and protein. Processed fruits and vegetables also contain high amounts of calcium sulfate. Tinned fruits and vegetables include gypsum as an added preservative. Most of the food manufacturing companies add gypsum to canned food to preserve its freshness and firmness.

Another source of calcium sulfate is baking powder which contains gypsum. It is therefore found in cakes, breads, cereals and so forth. Food which is prepared with yeast and baking products contain high amounts of gypsum.

Calcium sulfate is also used to manufacture dietary calcium supplements which are often prescribed to people deficient in calcium. Deficiency in calcium causes loss of hair, weak bones and teeth, brittle nails, cramps, high cholesterol, fatigue and yellow teeth.

Regular intake of gypsum will help to cure ailments related to calcium deficiencies. These supplements can be used to cure calcium deficiencies and prevent the attack of osteoporosis.

Gypsum is usually consumed in the form of tofu, dietary supplements and so forth by vegetarians as they find it difficult to consume dairy products. Consumption of calcium in any form is quite essential as it helps to prevent fractures, brittle nails and fatigue.

Calcium sulfate is available in different forms today in many of the online stores quite easily. It is perhaps one of the most popularly and widely used product for various purposes all over the world.

Calcium sulfate is used as a food additive in most of the food products to preserve its freshness and quality. Food stuffs such as tofu and cheese include gypsum or calcium sulfate as a part of its manufacturing process. Gypsum is used by most of the people who are intolerant to milk and milk products. It is also used in food to improve the nutritional benefit of certain edible products.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Calcium Sulfate

Calcium sulfate or gypsum has a wide number of beneficial qualities and some of the most important advantages include the following.

Used in food products: Calcium sulfate is used to coagulate soy milk to produce tofu. It is considered to be one of the richest sources of calcium and minerals. Most of the vegetarian cheese products contain gypsum which is mostly consumed by people who are intolerant to milk products.

Canned food: Gypsum is also used to preserve food items such as vegetables, fruits and jellies. A variety of other canned food items such as artificially sweetened creams, jellies and fruits also contain gypsum to preserve its self life and freshness. Fruits and vegetables tend to remain fresh due to the presence of gypsum.

Preserve frozen food stuffs: Another advantage of using gypsum includes its use to preserve frozen food. The overall content of sodium can be kept low with the addition of calcium sulfate.

Brewing process: It is also added to beer during the process of brewing. This helps to improve the shelf life of the drink and adds a certain amount of crispness to the beer.

Baked food items: Gypsum is added to baked food products such as bread and cakes. It is also included in baking powder, cereals, enriched flour and yeast.

Although calcium sulfate is used for a variety of purposes, it has certain ill-effects which are mentioned below.

Some of the most common side effects of calcium sulfate include swelling of the abdomen and gas. These symptoms occur rarely and are less severe. Infrequent symptoms of gypsum include intense abdominal pain, irregular bowel movement, nausea and so forth. Side effects of calcium sulfate are quite uncommon and rare although some cases were reported.