Healthy Habits -> Calcium

We are going to start a weekly blog post highlighting a vitamin, mineral, disease or ailment.  Let's learn to treat our bodies with food rather than with medications!

Lack of calcium throughout the years can cause bones to be soft & brittle.  While there are medications to help decrease the progression of bone density loss, why not help your body along by adding calcium rich foods! The foods below can help reduce the risk of bone fractures and brakes.

Dairy products:
Milk and other dairy products provide loads of calcium, the number one go-to nutrient for bone health. “Your heart, blood, muscles and nerves need calcium to function properly. If your diet doesn’t include enough calcium to replace what’s used, it will take it from your bones, leaving them weakened and prone to fracture,” says Keri Gans, R.D., a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. Also, skim milk is fortified with vitamin D, which works hand-in-hand with calcium to build bone.

Best bet: Choose skim milk instead of whole. It has fewer calories (90 versus 150 per 8-ounce serving) and less fat (0 grams versus 8 grams).

Other calcium-rich dairy foods: Low-fat or nonfat yogurt, cheese, calcium-fortified cottage cheese.

Try this: Turn canned soup into a creamy, calcium-rich meal by stirring in skim milk instead of water.

Calcium-Fortified Orange Juice

Don’t care for milk? Or does the lactose in it bother your belly? No problem;calcium-fortified OJ is a fine substitute. It contains as much calcium as milk and it delivers a day’s worth of vitamin C, which is essential for the formation of collagen, a vital component of bone matrix.

Best bet: Juices that are fortified with vitamin D as well as calcium.

Other calcium-fortified foods: Some brands of soy milk, rice milk, cereal, bread.

Try this: “Use orange juice as a key ingredient in a marinade for pork tenderloin,” suggests Holly Clegg, author of Too Hot in the Kitchen: Secrets to Sizzle at Any Age. “Marinate meat in a mixture of orange juice, Dijon mustard, garlic, reduced-sodium soy sauce and honey.”

Collard Greens

These spicy greens are among the best plant sources of calcium. A 3/4-cup serving of cooked collards contains about as much calcium as a glass of milk. Collards also contain vitamin K, which contributes to bone health.

Best bet: Choose fresh collards with small, firm leaves and no holes or yellowish spots, or buy frozen chopped collards.

Other calcium-rich veggies: Turnip greens, kale, okra, Chinese cabbage, dandelion greens, mustard greens, and broccoli;but not spinach, which contains a compound called oxalic acid that inhibits calcium absorption.

Try this: Sizzle up a simple stir-fry side dish. “In a nonstick skillet, saute Canadian bacon and onion in olive oil; add collard greens, veggie or chicken broth and canned white beans; bring to boil and cook for about 10 minutes, until collard greens are wilted,” Clegg suggests.

Nuts

Peanuts, almonds, cashews, soybeans and their butters are all terrific sources of magnesium, which plays an important part in how your body uses calcium, according to Gans. Without adequate magnesium, the hormones that regulate calcium metabolism can’t do their job properly.

Best bet: Choose unsalted dry-roasted nuts without added oils or salt.

Other magnesium-rich foods: Halibut, potatoes, oatmeal, wheat bran, bananas.

Try this: Whip up a magnesium-rich smoothie by blending a cup of soy milk, a banana, a tablespoon of peanut butter, and a couple of ice cubes.

Salmon

This fatty fish is a delicious source of vitamin D, which helps the body metabolize and absorb the calcium in food. “Vitamin D is converted to its active form in the kidneys, enabling it to help with calcium absorption,” says Gans.

Best bet: For an extra bone-health boost, select canned salmon with bones;and eat the bones! They’re so small you’ll hardly notice them, and they’re loaded with calcium.

Other vitamin D-rich fish: Mackerel, tuna, sardines.

Try this: At snack time, make a vitamin D-rich salmon spread with canned salmon, low-fat mayonnaise, chopped apples and chopped celery. Serve on whole-grain crackers.

Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are a fabulous source of potassium, which research suggests may boost bone health. Studies have found that people whose diet contains plenty of potassium have denser bones. They also lose less calcium in their urine.

Best bet: Opt for fresh sweet potatoes, or, if you buy canned or frozen varieties, pick varieties that aren’t loaded with lots of added sugar and fat.

Other potassium-rich foods: Tomato paste and other tomato products, potatoes, beet greens, white beans, yogurt, bananas.

Try this: Forget the french fries;make tasty sweet potato fries instead. “Cut sweet potatoes into half-inch thick strips and toss with olive oil, cinnamon and nutmeg, and bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 40 minutes, or until tender,” Clegg suggests.

Salt-Free Seasonings

The sodium in table salt, soy sauce and other salty seasonings can leach calcium from bones and lead to bone loss. You can protect your bones without sacrificing flavor by replacing salt with super-tasty spices and dried or fresh herbs such as chili powder, ground cumin, garlic powder, basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, coriander and ground pepper.

Best bet: Dried herb and spice mixes give food a jolt of flavor, but be sure to choose sodium-free varieties.

Other good sources of sodium-free flavor: Onion, garlic, vinegars, lemon juice, lemon and orange zest.

Try this: Fancy up your favorite fish. “Combine oregano and basil for an Italian blend, or cumin and paprika for a spicy southwestern flavor. Use it to season fish on both sides, then saute in a nonstick skillet,” suggests Clegg. DON'T FORGOT TO EXERCISE! Source ***Always consult your doctor before starting a new diet****