The quest for calcium
June 28th, 2006
Like many health-conscious cultured girls, I often worry that I’m not getting enough calcium. … Then I forget I’m supposed to be worrying about it and go on being calcium deprived. But a recent doctor’s visit, I learned that women should consume anywhere from 1000 to 1,200 milligrams of calcium per day to help prevent osteoporosis. (Most of us probably get about half that much.) Here are some easy ways to add calcium to your daily diet:
- Resume the childhood ritual of having a glass of milk for dinner. 1 C of nonfat milk has 302 mg of calcium, and drinking it with dinner also helps control your appetite.
- Start your day with nonfat yogurt. 1 C of nonfat yogurt delivers a whopping 452 mg of calcium, versus 415 for lowfat yogurt, and it’s better for your waistline too.
- Take calcium supplements. These are an easy way to get your daily allowance; just be sure to take the supplements separately from your milk or yogurt. Options include Viactiv and comparable knockoff brands, which come in 500 mg candy-flavored chews (yum!), and Extra Strength Tums, which each have 300 mg of calcium (yes, the commercials are true).
- Say cheese. Whether it’s on a sandwich or smothered on pasta, just an ounce of cheese can deliver more than 250 mg of calcium. Particularly calcium-rich varieties include ricotta, parmesan, and gruyere.
- Embrace unlikely sources. Plenty of non-dairy foods possess surprisingly high amounts of calcium, including salmon (200 mg per 3 oz.), waffles (179 mg each), and dried figs (135 mg for five figs).
June 30th, 2006 at 12:53 am
As you know, I’m a big fan of the dairy, and I can’t say enough good things about lowfat or nonfat cottage cheese.
Women who have iron deficiencies (and women are, of course, more likely to have them) need to be careful take their iron separately from their calcium, as calcium inhibits iron absorption.