Calcium Rich Foods

High Cost of Milk in the News!

The recent escalating cost of milk is causing sticker shock for everyone who loves dairy products-perhaps especially among mothers who know their growing children need calcium for strong bones and teeth. How about the pizza-lovers out there who see the cost of that cheese topping adding to the pizza tab.

Dairy products are the main source of calcium for most people, whether it be cheese, yogurt, milk, cottage cheese or sour cream. If the high cost of these items is gouging your food budget, here are some other budget conscious ways to get your calcium supply.

Why Our Bodies Need Calcium

Everybody knows calcium is good for building strong bones and teeth but what else does calcium do for our body? Calcium is important for the function of your entire body. It keeps the heart and muscles healthy and functioning properly and it assists the nervous system with the transmission of information between the nerve fibers. Studies also show calcium reduces the risk of colon cancer.

How much Calcium do We Need?

During childhood and adolescence youngster's bones grow rapidly, so teens especially need a lot of calcium. Once a person reaches adulthood, calcium needs stabilize, with more being needed during pregnancy, lactation, and healing from injuries. In a person's older years, bones become subject to osteoporosis or "fragile bones,"

Besides aging, certain medications decrease a body's ability to readily absorb calcium so senior citizens, as well as children and teens, need to make an extra effort to fulfill their needs for calcium in their diets.

Stress, Cola Drinks and Certain Foods Reduce Calcium Absorption

Stress and tension, as well as high fiber diets can also interfere with calcium absorption.Consuming soft drinks that contain citric and phosphoric acid also decrease the absorption of calcium. A 12-ounce cola drink might rob your body of 100 milligrams of calcium.

The calcium-to-phosphorus ratio of a food or supplement determines how much of the calcium is absorbed by the body. The ideal calcium-phosphorus ratio is 2 to 1. The higher the phosphorus content of the food, the more calcium is excreted in the urine, leading to a loss of calcium. Foods high in phosphorus (such as meat, poultry, corn, potatoes, beer, buckwheat) can interfere with calcium absorption.

Guidelines for Calcium Needs

Infants (birth to one year): 400 to 600 mg.

Children (1 to 10): 800 mg.

Preteens and teens: 1,200-1,500 mg.

Adults: 1,200 mg.

Pregnancy: 1,500-2,000 mg. a day

Lactation: 1,200-1,500 mg. a day

Seniors: 1,500 mg. a day

If We Don't Get Calcium From Dairy Products, Where Can We Find It?

For those who are vegetarians or those concerned with the amount of animal fat in dairy products which contributes to higher cholesterol, this question is easy to answer. These people have already found other ways to get their calcium requirements. For those who are now trying to replace dairy products in their diet because of the high cost, here are some suggestions:

One cup of lowfat milk or 6oz of lowfat yogurt contains about 300mg of calcium per cup. Compare this to:

Sardines (3 oz) 371

Orange juice, calcium-fortified (1 cup) 300

Sesame seeds (1 ounce) 280

Tofu (3 oz) 190

Salmon (3 oz, canned) 180

Collards (1/2 cup, chopped) 180

Rhubarb (1/2 cup) 174

Blackstrap molasses (1 tbsp.)

172

Amaranth flour (1/2 cup)

150

Spinach (1/2 cup, canned) 136

Figs (5) 135

Artichoke (1 med.) 135

Soybean nuts (1/4 cup) 116

Turnip greens (1/2 cup, chopped) 100

Cereal, calcium-fortified (1/2 cup) 100-200

Kale (1/2 cup, chopped) 90

Almond butter (2 tbsp.) 86

Beet greens (1/2 cup, boiled) 82

Almonds (1 ounce) 80

Bok Choy (Chinese cabbage) (1/2 cup) 79

Okra (1/2 cup) 77

Tempeh (1/2 cup) 77

Beans (1/2 cup, baked) 75

Papaya (1 medium) 73

Edible Seaweed - one gram contains about 70 mg of calcium

Orange (1 medium) 50

Broccoli (1/2 cup, chopped) 47

Getting Your Calcium from Supplements

Calcium supplements are also another way to get calcium into your diet. Here are some important tips.

Calcium is best when taken in smaller, more frequent doses and taken with meals. You body only absorbs about 300 mg of calcium at one time so taking higher dosage is a waste of time.

Read labels for the amount of ELEMENTAL calcium contained in the supplement. This is the amount of actual usable calcium. For instance calcium glutamate is only 9% elemental calcium. If you take a 300 mg capsule of calcium glutamate, you are only getting 27 mg of elemental calcium. Calcium carbonate, however, is 40% elemental calcium so in a 300 mg capsule of this, you are getting 120mg of useable calcium. Some labels make this distinction, others do not.

Vitamin C improves the absorption of calcium, which is why calcium-fortified orange juice makes sense. Or take your supplement with orange juice.

Although dairy products are a quick and easy way to get calcium into the diet, with a little thought and planning, supplements and food sources can fulfil this very important need.