Catch up on Calcium

April 5, 2006

Catch up on Calcium by Leanne Ely, C.N.C.

When a woman is in her prime, she is more likely to think about keeping in shape and maintaining her figure than broken hips and osteoporosis. However, not thinking about preserving bone health at this age is a big mistake because that's when something can be done to maintain healthy bone mass. Young women build bone mass until about 25 and after that, it's all about maintaining that bone mass.

The biggest factor in prevention of osteoporosis is of course, a calcium-rich diet. Milk products, grains, fresh fruits and vegetables all contain some level of calcium with dairy being the king pin of calcium. The issue of eating a diet rich in calcium is absorption and while supplements are helpful, food is best. But if you are looking at getting a supplement, the best supplemental calcium to buy will have magnesium in it, with a 3:1 ratio of calcium to magnesium for optimal absorption.

But back to food. Oxalic acid, present in such healthy foods such as spinach and oatmeal, actually blocks calcium absorption. And even though these foods themselves are rich in calcium, the availability of that calcium isn't viable because of the presence of oxalic acid. That doesn't mean spinach and oatmeal should be stricken from our diets--we just need to understand that the calcium we THINK we're getting from these sources are severely limited because of the oxalic acid (and we shouldn't eat too much of them either). Chocolate's also rather high in oxalic acid--not that anyone may have been looking to chocolate to fulfill her calcium requirements!

Another way we lose out on calcium absorption is through consumption of carbonated beverages. Phosphorus, which is naturally present in any drink with carbonation, hinders absorption to calcium as well. It may not be necessary to completely abstain from all soda drinking, but it is a good idea to limit the amount consumed and certainly not drink it on a daily basis.

In the last few years, it has been brought to light that weight-bearing exercise helps with calcium absorption. For so long, so many women have relied heavily on aerobics or walking to be their sole exercise, but that doesn't cut it as far as bone health is concerned. The very act of lifting weights is what strengthens the bones--it isn't just exercise itself.

Here are some fun ways to sneak calcium into your diet:

Sesame seeds have 60 milligrams of calcium per ounce and sunflower seeds have 33 milligrams. Top your salads liberally with these calcium- rich seeds.

Powdered milk is full of calcium and a great way to get a creamy soup without the fat. Use broth as the liquid base for the soup, and simply add as much powdered milk as you like to achieve creaminess.

Oranges, broccoli and tofu all have surprisingly higher levels of calcium and should be considered great snacks.

Turnip greens, kale and collard greens are also calcium rich.

Here is a recipe from my book, Healthy Foods: An Irreverent Guide to Understanding Nutrition and Feeding Your Family Well (Champion Press) that are calcium rich and delicious!

Smoothie Patrol

Serves 1

2 ounces silkened tofu

1 ripe banana, frozen

1/ 4 cup berries (your choice), frozen

1 heaping scoop protein powder (choose one that is rich in calcium) 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/ 3 cup orange juice

Put everything in a blender and LET HER RIP!

Per serving: 216 Calories (kcal); 4g Total Fat; (14% calories from fat); 7g Protein; 41g Carbohydrate; 2mg Cholesterol; 12mg Sodium Food

Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 2 1/2 Fruit; 0 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates

The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.~ Albert Einstein ~

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