The many benefits of calcium
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Alvena Baxter
Occupation: 14 years as food and nutrition teacher at Emporia High
School
Editor’s note: This is the final installment in a series by Alvena Baxter, who has looked at five basic nutritional problems in Americans’ diets including lack of fiber, excess fats, sugar and salt. Today, Baxter examines the benefits of calcium and offers some easy ways to improve calcium intake by modifying recipes.
By Alvena Baxter
Special to The Gazette
Calcium is becoming a buzzword in the nutrition community. Most of us know we need calcium to make strong bones, but the picture is much broader. It also keeps our nerves, blood and muscles working properly.
If we do not get enough calcium for all our needs, our body will rob it from our bones. In addition to building strong teeth and bones, other important functions of calcium are:
• Reducing the risk of osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is perhaps the best-known problem associated with lack of calcium. It is a disease which causes bones to become brittle and weak. Many times a fall, even sneezing or bending over, can cause a fracture. Osteoporosis can occur at most any age. There are no physical symptoms associated with it and it may not be discovered until a hip, wrist or other bone breaks. We acquire most of our bone mass by our early 20’s, so getting enough calcium is very important during childhood and adolescence. Vitamin D is needed for proper absorption of calcium and our body makes the best use of calcium from dairy foods. Just be sure to use the no-fat or low-fat dairy varieties. Exercise is very important to help prevent osteoporosis, as is avoiding smoking, excessive caffeine, sodium and alcohol consumption. All these seem to reduce calcium absorption.
• Helping keep weight in check. Proper calcium intake may help keep weight off. Though still under investigation, the general theory is eating foods high in calcium may suppress production of a hormone that stimulates the manufacture of fat cells. Also, it appears the more calcium there is in a fat cell, the more fat it may burn. Sufficient calcium intake seems to curb the desire to eat more. Calcium is not a magic bullet — it just seems higher calcium diets favor burning fat rather than storing fat, helping to maintain a healthy weight.
• Providing some cancer protection. Another promising finding is that calcium may be a protector against colon polyps and colon cancer. Although research is ongoing, it seems unabsorbed calcium, traveling through the colon, binds with substances which might cause cancer and the two are eliminated together.
F Helping maintain a healthy heart. One of the puzzle pieces for a healthy heart seems to be calcium. Our heart is a muscle and calcium helps all muscles contract and relax. Calcium also appears to help our nervous system regulate the level of pressure in our arteries. Some scientists think calcium may become almost as important to maintaining an appropriate blood pressure as reducing dietary sodium. The combination of proper calcium levels and less sodium may be important keys to future heart health.
Getting calcium from food is the best choice as all nutrients work together. Calcium supplement pills are good, but they should be in addition to eating foods high in calcium.
Our body can only absorb about 500 milligrams of calcium at one time, so spread out calcium foods and supplements throughout the day. Besides dairy products, calcium can also be found in dried beans, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, fruit juices and cereals fortified with calcium and canned salmon with edible soft bones.
It is estimated that only a little more than 20 percent of Americans are getting enough calcium. General recommendations for daily calcium intake are:
• Ages 1-3 years: 500 mg
• Ages 4-8: 800 mg
• Ages 9-18: 1,300 mg
• Ages 19 to 50: 1,000 mg a day
• Ages 51 and older: 1,200 mg a day
To increase calcium, try adding dehydrated skim milk to casseroles, meat loaf, milk-based soups, hot cereals, batters, smoothies, etc. A tablespoon of dry milk contains 50 milligrams of calcium and won’t change the end product, just increase the calcium. Also, make cooked cereals, hot chocolate and cream-type soups with skim milk instead of water.
Here is a tasty, versatile dip, which is high in calcium. Serve with fresh vegetables, low sodium crackers or melba toast.
Mediterranean Feta Dip
8 oz. feta cheese, cubed
2 oz. low-fat cottage cheese
1 Tbsp. dry skim milk powder
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. parsley, chopped
1 tsp. each, dried oregano and paprika
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
Pinch of ground black pepper, or to taste
2 to 3 Tbsp. olive oil
Sun dried tomatoes, chopped, to taste
Put the feta cheese, cottage cheese, dry milk, garlic, parsley and all the dried spices in a food processor or blender and mix until mostly smooth. Transfer to a bowl. Stir in olive oil and tomatoes. Refrigerate until serving time. A small amount of skim milk can be added with the oil to get the consistency you prefer.
This is also good with chopped red onion, black or green olives. Experiment with this recipe to find the combination of flavors you like.
Shape Up, Emporia! is a weekly fitness and health column aimed at readers of all ages to get off the couch and get into shape. Each week will feature a fitness, health or nutrition professional from around the area who will share some friendly tips on how to improve your overall health. Our goal is to make getting in shape fun and easy to fit into your existing lifestyle and daily routine.