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Building Strong Bones
By Patrice Powers-Barker, OSU Extension, Lucas County
The Truth Contributor
Many nutrients work hand-in-hand for a healthy body and
Vitamin D and Calcium are a good example of two nutrients
that work well together. Calcium is often recognized as
important for strong bone health and one of Vitamin D’s
roles is to help the body absorb calcium to reach the goal
of healthy bones. In addition to building and maintaining
strong bones, calcium and Vitamin D are recognized for other
important jobs in the body.
Calcium helps:
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Maintain a normal heartbeat
·
Regulates blood pressure
·
Helps nervous system function properly
·
May decrease the risk of developing color cancer
·
May play a role in weight management
In addition to helping the body absorb calcium, Vitamin D:
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may help reduce risk of cancers such as breast, colon
and prostate
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may help prevent multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid
arthritis
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boosts the immune system and help control blood sugar
levels—which may help prevent diabetes
Both calcium and Vitamin D are found in a variety of foods.
They are often associated with the Dairy Group which
includes milk and milk products like yogurt, choose and
calcium-fortified soymilk. In addition to providing calcium
and Vitamin D, these foods also offer potassium, protein and
other nutrients. Recommendations for the Dairy Group include
choosing low-fat options. It is recommended that adults
drink, (or eat dairy foods) to equal three cups of milk a
day. In the Dairy Group, one cup of milk or yogurt is
comparable to one and a half ounces of natural cheese.
One myth about milk is that fat-free, “skim” or low-fat milk
does not have the same nutrients as whole milk. No matter
what the fat content, milk has similar amounts of calcium
and added Vitamin D. The amount of fat is the only
difference between the types of milk.
By choosing a lower-fat variety of milk, you still get the
calcium, Vitamin D and other nutrients and you also get less
fat. There are a few foods that are located in the grocery
store near the milk products but because they are not a good
source of calcium, they are not counted as part of the Dairy
Group. Regular cream cheese, cream and butter are not
counted as part of the Dairy Group.
In addition to the foods in the Dairy Group, there are many
other foods that have either calcium, Vitamin D or both.
Both Vitamin D and calcium can be added or “fortified” to
foods. Calcium and Vitamin D are often added to cereal,
bread and orange juice. The package label will often
highlight that it’s calcium-fortified or vitamin-D
fortified. You can also check the nutrition label. Salmon
patties made from canned salmon with bones create a calcium
rich meal. For calcium, enjoy a variety of dark green leafy
vegetables like kale, collards, mustard greens, bok choy or
turnip greens. Dry beans that have been cooked do not have
quite as much calcium as some of the foods just listed but
they do have more calcium than ice cream.
Vitamin D can be added to many foods and it is also known as
the “sunshine” vitamin because our bodies can make vitamin D
when we are in the sun. To make enough vitamin D, we need to
be in the sun, (without sunscreen on our face, arms and
hands) for about five-30 minutes twice a week. Although
most people get enough vitamin D from food and sun, there
are occasions when people do not. This would be a
discussion to have with your doctor.
ChooseMyPlate offers some suggestions for adding more
healthy milk products to your day:
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If you are making a dip, use plain yogurt instead of
sour cream – the yogurt has calcium. Swap out cream with
fat-free evaporated milk.
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Top a baked potato with plain yogurt and chives
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Add fat-free or low-fat milk to your coffee or latte
drinks
If you have lactose intolerance or trouble digesting milk,
there are other foods like those fortified foods and
vegetables listed above that provide nutrients. Many people
who have been diagnosed with lactose intolerance are able to
drink milk and eat milk products by finding the right
portion size or way to eat it. For example:
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drink milk with meals, not by itself
·
chocolate milk may cause fewer symptoms
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foods like cheese, cottage or yogurt have smaller amounts of
lactose compared to milk
·
choose lactose-free milk products
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try soymilk (soy beverage) and check the Nutrition Facts
label to be sure it has about 300 mg of calcium
When’s the last time you visited a dairy farm? Consider
this your invitation for a tour of a dairy farm and a free
breakfast! “Breakfast on the Farm” is being held on
Saturday June 13, 2015 at Sandland Dairy Farm, Swanton, Ohio
from 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Ohio State University Extension,
Lucas County is one of many partners working to plan
the event and we would love to see Lucas County residents
attend. The event is free, but we ask you to RSVP so we
know how many meals to plan.
http://www.fultonohbreakfastonthefarm.com/
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