Getting Enough Calcium In Your Diet

Calcium is crucial for proper function of your muscles, nervous system and for strong bones and teeth. When you don't get enough calcium from your diet, you will lose calcium from your bones in order to keep the muscles and nerves healthy and your pH balanced.

Dietary Calcium Sources

Cow's milk and dairy products are probably the most well-known dietary source of calcium. One cup of cows' milk has 276 mg calcium. Experts recommend that everyone consumes three servings of dairy every day.

Unfortunately, many people are lactose-intolerant, allergic to cow's milk, or they may desire to exclude dairy products from their diet. While cows' milk is an important source of calcium, there are other sources available.

Whether you drink milk or not, you should consider adding these foods to your diet to get more calcium:

• Collard Greens - one cup of cooked collard greens has 266 mg calcium.
  • Collard Greens and Tomatoes
  • Sauteed Collard Greens
• Sardines - each single sardine has 92 mg calcium.
  • Catanian Stuffed Sardines
  • Grilled Whole Sardines with Thai Barbecue Rub
• Green Peas - one cup of green peas has 94 mg calcium.
  • Couscous with Peas
  • Peas and Corn
• Baked Beans - one cup of baked beans has 154 mg calcium.
  • Baked Beans - - Fagioli Stufati
  • Boston Baked Beans
• Goat Milk - some people find that goats' milk is easier to digest. One cup of goats' milk has 327 mg calcium.

  If you like goats' milk, you will love cheese made from goats' milk. There are many delicious varieties and the dry forms of goat cheese contain about 200 mg calcium per ounce.

  • Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts
  • Sun Dried Tomato and Goat Cheese Bean Dip
• Canned Salmon - three ounces of canned salmon contain 181 mg calcium. Salmon also is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids.
  • Salmon Patties
  • Aloha Salmon
• Oranges - one cup of orange sections will give you 72 mg calcium and lots of vitamin C as well.
  • Lentils with Oranges
  • Halibut Steak with Oranges
• Kale - this delicious green has 92 mg calcium per cup of chopped leaves.
  • Low Fat Tomato, Kale and White Bean Soup
  • Sauteed Greens

Calcium Supplements

You can also add calcium to your diet by taking calcium supplements. Experts suggest that you take 1,000 to 1,500 mgs per day. You may also wish to take 800 IU of vitamin D supplements along with your calcium.

More Advice for Healthy Bones

Keep your bones healthy by avoiding the things that may cause you to lose calcium. Don't smoke, limit consumption of cola beverages and eat lots of fruits and vegetables. Avoid the temptation to become a couch potato too. Exercises like weight-lifting will keep your bones strong and healthy.

_Sources:

Wong PK, Christie JJ, Wark JD. "The effects of smoking on bone health." Clin Sci (Lond). 2007 Sep;113(5):233-41.

Tucker KL, Morita K, Qiao N, Hannan MT, Cupples LA, Kiel DP. "Colas, but not other carbonated beverages, are associated with low bone mineral density in older women: The Framingham Osteoporosis Study." Am J Clin Nutr. 2006 Oct;84(4):936-42.

Sugiura M, Nakamura M, Ogawa K, Ikoma Y, Ando F, Yano M. "Bone mineral density in post-menopausal female subjects is associated with serum antioxidant carotenoids." Osteoporos Int. 2007 Sep 11.

Harvard School of Public Health. "Calcium and Milk."

United States Department of Agriculture. "National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference." Release 19. Updated October 2006.