 |
| |
This food group includes
milk, cheese, yoghurt
and fromage frais - but
not butter, margarine
or cream, which belong
in the fat and sugar group.
The foods in this group
contain many different
types of nutrients, but
are particularly rich
in calcium |
| The
importance of calcium |
|
Calcium
is a mineral that strengthens
your bones and teeth,
and ensures everything
runs smoothly with your
muscles and nerves. It's
especially important for
growth. Calcium can continue
to add to the strength
of your bones until you
reach the age of 30 to
35, when peak bone mass
is reached.
After this point, as a
natural part of the ageing
process, your bones lose
their density and grow
weaker. If you haven't
had enough calcium in
your diet prior to this,
there's an increased risk
that your bones won't
be strong enough to cope
with any weakening, which
can result in the brittle
bone disease, osteoporosis. |
| Health
professionals estimate that
one in three women and one
in 12 men over the age of
50 suffer from osteoporosis.
There's also concern that
the diets of teenage girls
and young women, in particular,
aren't high enough in calcium.
Some experts predict the
future could bring an osteoporosis
epidemic in women. |
| Calcium
for vegans and the lactose
intolerant |
Of
course, if your diet excludes
milk and dairy products
or if you can't tolerate
the milk sugar lactose,
then you need to look
for calcium alternatives.
You can keep your bones
healthy by: |
| |
 |
buying
soya milks, yoghurts
and cheeses enriched
with calcium |
|
eating
lots of dark green
leafy vegetables,
such as spinach,
broccoli and watercress |
|
using
almonds or sesame
seeds as topping
on salads, cereals
or desserts |
|
snacking
on dried fruits
- apricots, dates
and figs all contain
small amounts of
calcium |
|
if
you're not vegan,
adding sardines,
prawns or anchovies
to a main meal |
|
| How
much is enough? |
The
Department of Health recommends
that both men and women
get 700mg of calcium every
day to ensure good health.
Realistically, this means
one of the following: |
| |
|
a
pint of milk |
|
two
small tubs of plain
or fruit yoghurt |
|
roughly
80g of hard cheese |
|
| |
The
good news is, if you're
concerned about your weight,
getting the calcium you
need doesn't have to mean
eating or drinking full-fat
foods. There's exactly
the same amount of calcium
in skimmed milk as there
is in whole milk. The
same goes for low-fat
yoghurt and reduced-fat
cheese. You don't have
to buy their full-fat
counterparts to look after
your bones |
