Do you know how much calcium you and/or your child needs every day? Think your drink. Does it contain calcium?
Our bodies need calcium for heart, muscles, and nerves to function properly and for blood to clot. Most of us also know that calcium and Vitamin D are needed for good bone structure. Inadequate calcium may contribute to the development of osteoporosis. If needed, here is a quick reference chart to find out how much you and your child needs. Calcium is measured in milligrams.
Check it out. How much calcium do you need?
Age 1 to 3 — 700 milligram per day
Age 4 to 8 — 1000 milligram per day
Age 9 to 18 — 1300 milligram per day
Adult — 1000 milligram per day
Over 51 — 1200 milligram per day
Do you know what other foods help add calcium to your diet? Find out how many milligrams of calcium are in the foods that you eat on a regular basis. Read the food label of your regular eaten foods. You might be surprised.
The new food label now lists the actual number of milligrams of calcium. It also represents the percentage of daily value, based on the adult daily need. If you have a young child, read the food label to find out the number of milligrams of calcium per serving.
Dairy foods are a great source of calcium. There are non-dairy sources of calcium, also. Tofu and beans contain calcium, too. If tests have shown that you are unable to digest the lactose sugar in milk, there are other ways to get calcium. There are lactase enzyme tables that you can take before eating dairy products. The enzyme tablets help to digest the lactose sugar in the milk. Some people who are lactose intolerant can tolerate small amounts of milk or other dairy products at a time.
Challenge yourself. See how many milligrams of calcium you and/or your child consume a day. If you are finding you need to increase the number of milligrams of calcium in a day, try this recipe for a pumpkin smoothie. It is easy to make at home.
Pumpkin Smoothie
1 can solid pack pumpkin (chilled, 15 ounces)
1 ½ cups skim milk (chilled)
1 ½ cups orange juice
1 banana (small, sliced) or frozen
2 Tablespoons light brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon optional
Place pumpkin, milk, orange juice, banana, and sugar in blender. Cover and blend until smooth. If using cinnamon, add that too. Makes 6 – one cup servings. Enjoy!
