Thursday, December 15, 2011

Calcium

One complaint/concern I often hear is about the lack of milk in the Thrive! healthy eating program. You can have Skim Milk with your Special K Protein Plus cereal, but don't drink the leftover milk! Also, drinking a glass of milk is not good either because Skim Milk contains 12g of sugar!

Some feel that if we don't drink milk we won't get the recommended amounts of calcium. Calcium is good for you. You body uses about 1% of its calcium supply for vascular contraction and vasodilation, muscle function, nerve transmission, intracellular signaling and hormonal secretion and the other 99% is used for bones and teeth. According to the government, the Recommended Daily Allowance of calcium for people 19-50 is 1,000mg/day.

If milk is not a foundational part of one's diet, can you get enough calcium? Yes! Milk is not the number one source of calcium; Greek yogurt has more calcium than milk. You can get calcium through the following foods:


Fibrous Carb
Artichokes
Asparagus          
Beets
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Celery
Chives
Cucumbers
Eggplant
Green Onions
Greens Collard/Mustard/Turnip  
Kale
Lettuce
Mushrooms
Okra
Peppers
Radishes
Sauerkraut
Snow Peas
Spinach
Squash
Sugar Snap Peas
Turnip Greens
Water Chestnuts
Extreme Fiber Tortillas

Lean Proteins
Salmon, canned, pink
Low Fat Cottage Cheese


Natural Carb
Blackeyed Peas
Cowpeas
Corn
Lentils
Lima Beans
Navy Beans
Parsnips
Potatoes
Sweet Peas
Whole Wheat Bread

Balanced Foods
Almonds
Sesame Seeds
Flax Seeds
Brazil Nuts
Kidney Beans
Pinto Beans
Soy Beans

Condiments
Carrots
Onions
Tomatoes
Sour Cream
Fat Free Mozzarella Cheese
Fat Free Cheddar Cheese

Although milk contains a high percentage of calcium (30%), yogurts and cheese are higher. Salmon, low fat cottage cheese and Tofu are not far behind. You can get enough calcium if you eat healthy. In many cases, the higher the fat content, the lower the calcium so you may be getting more calcium than the average person who eats a fatty diet with milk!

Of course, you can have a glass of milk on a "cold" day. I do!

Skinny Jim




              



FoodMilligrams (mg)
per serving
Percent DV*
Yogurt, plain, low fat, 8 ounces41542
Orange juice, calcium-fortified, 6 ounces37838
Mozzarella, part skim, 1.5 ounces33333
Sardines, canned in oil, with bones, 3 ounces32432
Cheddar cheese, 1.5 ounces30631
Yogurt, fruit, low fat, 8 ounces313-38431-38
Milk, nonfat, 8 ounces**29630
Milk, reduced-fat (2% milk fat), 8 ounces29630
Milk, buttermilk, 8 ounces28028
Milk, whole (3.25% milk fat), 8 ounces27227
Tofu, firm, made with calcium sulfate, ½ cup***25325
Salmon, pink, canned, solids with bone, 3 ounces18118
Cottage cheese, 1% milk fat, 1 cup unpacked13814
Tofu, soft, made with calcium sulfate, ½ cup***13814
Pudding, chocolate, instant, made with 2% milk, ½ cup12713
Ready-to-eat cereal, calcium-fortified, 1 cup 100–1,00010–100
Instant breakfast drink, various flavors and brands, powder prepared with water, 8 ounces 105–25010–25
Frozen yogurt, vanilla, soft serve, ½ cup 10310
Turnip greens, boiled, ½ cup 9910
Kale, cooked, 1 cup 949
Kale, raw, 1 cup 909
Soy beverage, calcium-fortified, 8 ounces 80–500 8–50
Ice cream, vanilla, ½ cup 848
Chinese cabbage, raw, 1 cup 747
Tortilla, corn, ready-to-bake/fry, 1 medium 465
Tortilla, flour, ready-to-bake/fry, one 6" diameter 394
Sour cream, reduced fat, cultured, 2 tablespoons 323
Bread, white, 1 ounce 313
Broccoli, raw, ½ cup 212
Bread, whole-wheat, 1 slice 303
Cheese, cream, regular, 1 tablespoon 141