Hi Kirt:

> I have eaten fried fish bones from salmon, mackeral, sardines, and herring.
> This would be measured in grams not milligrams. Further, it is early
> impossible not to consume bone chips when eating bone marrow. Shellfish and
> organs have more calcium than you are probably aware...

Here in the Philippines (which is composed of 7,100 islands), much of
what is caught by coastal, lakeside and riverine fisherfolk are
small-sized species of fish and shrimp -- something in the order of
from 5 mm to 50 mm in length. There are fish and shrimp species that
are just 1-2 mm long. They are caught in large numbers. Whether cooked
fresh, or sun-dried, or made into fish paste, they are eaten whole --
from head to tailfin -- with minimal or no bone waste. They're the
richest source of calcium I can imagine aside from milk. One of the
distinguishing features of traditional fisherfolk communities
hereabouts is that the people have strong bones and excellent teeth.


     Jun V.