Bones need calcium, you need these
We all know that calcium is an essential mineral for growth and maintenance of bones and teeth. Strong bones can enhance our physical activities, and protect our heart, lungs and brain from injury. Weak bones increase the risks of fracture, osteoporosis and height loss. What does calcium do in the body? Why do bones need calcium nourishment? Where can we find natural calcium ingredients?
Calcium is among the major minerals (calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium, chloride and potassium) required by the human body. 99 percent of calcium deposited in the body can be found in the bones and teeth, while the remaining 1 percent is stored in blood, muscle and the fluids between body cells. Calcium supports the structure of bones and teeth. It helps regulate blood vessel expansion and contraction, muscle contraction, hormone and enzyme secretion, and signal transmission throughout the nervous system. Obviously, calcium is a vital constituent of the body.
Bones, as living organisms, have cells and flowing body fluids. They are continuously renewed and remodeled with constant resorption (calcium transfer from bone fluid to the blood) and deposition of calcium into newly formed bones. The rate of resorption and calcium deposition changes as people grow. Elderly, especially postmenopausal women, experience more bone breakdown than bone formation. This leads to bone loss and causes arthritis, osteoporosis, and height loss. Besides biological factor, lifestyle factors such as physical activity, protein and alcohol consumption affect the function of calcium in the body. The optimal amounts of daily calcium intake for different age groups are shown below to help you determine how much calcium you need.
Newborn to 6 months: 210mg/day
6 to 12 months: 270mg/day
1 to 3 years: 500mg/day
4 to 8 years: 800mg/day
9 to 18 years: 1,300mg/day
18 to 50 years: 1,000mg/day
Over 50 years: 1,200mg/day
It is widely known that dairy products such as milk, yogurt and cheese are good sources of calcium. In the United States, the Department of Agriculture’s Food Guide Pyramid recommends that people two years and older consume two to three servings of dairy products every day to meet the body’s calcium demand. FYI, one serving is equal to one cup (8 oz) of milk, or 8 oz of yogurt, or 1.5 oz of natural cheese, or 2 oz of processed cheese.
However, not everyone is able to eat dairy products. Some people are allergic to dairy products. Many non-Indo-European descents are lactose intolerant. Vegans do not consume dairy products for health and ethical reasons. Fortunately, there are plenty of alternative healthy foods as great sources of calcium. If you like soy milk, try Silk, Provamel, and Plamil fortified with calcium. Green leafy vegetables with low oxalate level are as good as or even better than calcium from cow’s milk. They include kale, tofu, zuccini squash, green peas, broccoli, okra, and alfalfa sprouts. Other natural sources of calcium are seaweeds like kelp and wakame, nuts and seeds like almonds and sesame, watercress, black molasses and beans. If you are interested in knowing more foods with high calcium content, visit the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference at http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/
Proper diet and physical activity strengthen the bones. Adequate calcium intake helps maintain a healthy body. Although it is recommended to replenish calcium each day, too much calcium intake may do more harm than good. Excessive calcium deposited in the body increases the risk of developing kidney stones. No more than 500mg calcium should be taken at a time because the body absorbs less amount of calcium with increasing supply of calcium.
Calcium is among the major minerals (calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium, chloride and potassium) required by the human body. 99 percent of calcium deposited in the body can be found in the bones and teeth, while the remaining 1 percent is stored in blood, muscle and the fluids between body cells. Calcium supports the structure of bones and teeth. It helps regulate blood vessel expansion and contraction, muscle contraction, hormone and enzyme secretion, and signal transmission throughout the nervous system. Obviously, calcium is a vital constituent of the body.
Bones, as living organisms, have cells and flowing body fluids. They are continuously renewed and remodeled with constant resorption (calcium transfer from bone fluid to the blood) and deposition of calcium into newly formed bones. The rate of resorption and calcium deposition changes as people grow. Elderly, especially postmenopausal women, experience more bone breakdown than bone formation. This leads to bone loss and causes arthritis, osteoporosis, and height loss. Besides biological factor, lifestyle factors such as physical activity, protein and alcohol consumption affect the function of calcium in the body. The optimal amounts of daily calcium intake for different age groups are shown below to help you determine how much calcium you need.
Newborn to 6 months: 210mg/day
6 to 12 months: 270mg/day
1 to 3 years: 500mg/day
4 to 8 years: 800mg/day
9 to 18 years: 1,300mg/day
18 to 50 years: 1,000mg/day
Over 50 years: 1,200mg/day
It is widely known that dairy products such as milk, yogurt and cheese are good sources of calcium. In the United States, the Department of Agriculture’s Food Guide Pyramid recommends that people two years and older consume two to three servings of dairy products every day to meet the body’s calcium demand. FYI, one serving is equal to one cup (8 oz) of milk, or 8 oz of yogurt, or 1.5 oz of natural cheese, or 2 oz of processed cheese.
However, not everyone is able to eat dairy products. Some people are allergic to dairy products. Many non-Indo-European descents are lactose intolerant. Vegans do not consume dairy products for health and ethical reasons. Fortunately, there are plenty of alternative healthy foods as great sources of calcium. If you like soy milk, try Silk, Provamel, and Plamil fortified with calcium. Green leafy vegetables with low oxalate level are as good as or even better than calcium from cow’s milk. They include kale, tofu, zuccini squash, green peas, broccoli, okra, and alfalfa sprouts. Other natural sources of calcium are seaweeds like kelp and wakame, nuts and seeds like almonds and sesame, watercress, black molasses and beans. If you are interested in knowing more foods with high calcium content, visit the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference at http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/
Proper diet and physical activity strengthen the bones. Adequate calcium intake helps maintain a healthy body. Although it is recommended to replenish calcium each day, too much calcium intake may do more harm than good. Excessive calcium deposited in the body increases the risk of developing kidney stones. No more than 500mg calcium should be taken at a time because the body absorbs less amount of calcium with increasing supply of calcium.
Labels: calcium, diet, food guide pyramid, nutrition, USDA
posted by Moogger | 脉革 at
8:58 PM
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