Are You Getting Enough Calcium?
Calcium is a vital part of every diet, but many people are not getting
all the calcium they need for healthy teeth and bones. Nutritionists recommend
that women aged from 11 to 18 consume no less than 800 mg of calcium every
day, and that those aged 19 and older get at least 700 mg of calcium every
day. Calcium is vital to healthy teeth and bones, and to preventing such
complications as osteoporosis.
Why You Need Calcium
Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the human body, and it accounts
for from 1.5 to 2% of the average person's total body weight. The vast
majority of calcium in the body, a full 99%, is concentrated in the bones
and the teeth, with the remaining 1% distributed throughout the bloodstream,
muscles and other body tissues. It is crucial that the body have a steady
supply of calcium to draw from at all times.
Milk is the single most important source of calcium, and few foods are
as rich in calcium and as healthy as is milk. In addition to calcium,
milk contains significant amounts of phosphorus, magnesium and potassium.
These elements are vital, since they help the body absorb and more readily
use the calcium in the diet. In addition, milk contains vitamin D, which
is also vital for the utilization of dietary calcium. In addition to milk,
vitamin D is derived from sunlight, and from the consumption of meat,
canned fish with bones, tofu and green leafy vegetables.
Milk In A Healthy Diet
While many other foods also contain calcium, milk and dairy products
have more concentrated levels of calcium, and it is difficult to get the
necessary 700-800 mg of calcium without milk in the diet. In order to
replace the calcium in a single glass of skim milk it would be necessary
to eat three servings of spinach, nine boiled eggs, five large servings
of broccoli or 20 servings of lettuce.
Nutritionists recommend that adults drink three and a half glasses of
milk every day in order to get the amount of calcium they need in their
diet. There are many ways to get that milk besides drinking it plain.
For instance, many people find that mixing their milk with a couple of
spoons of honey and mixing it in the blender makes a delicious and nutritious
smoothie. In addition, milk can be added to your favorite recipes, and
used in your daily coffee.
Cut The Fat
Of course getting the calcium you need is important, but so is cutting
the fat in the diet. A high fat diet has been implicated in obesity, diabetes,
heart disease and other serious medical conditions, so it is important
to avoid fat while getting the calcium you need. That is why it is so
important to seek out low fat and nonfat dairy products whenever you can.
Doing so will allow you to get all the calcium you need without consuming
more fat than you need.
About Nutrition
| Back To School - Avoiding the Freshman Fifteen |
 Back when I was eighteen years old, people warned about the freshman five, referring to the few extra pounds kids gained when they first went off to college. Guess I'm getting older and college kids are getting bigger, because now the warnings are for the freshman fifteen. There are certain times in our lives when we're prone to gain weight, like when we become part of a couple and after having babies. The first common time for gaining weight is when we go off to college. It's understandable, especially for kids who eat at school. Most colleges have dining halls with an array of food choices (some healthy, others not so much) and there may be fast food services available on campus too. Add in several sedentary hours of studying per week and the pounds creep on quickly. If you're just starting college, you can avoid the freshman fifteen by making smart choices in the dining hall (think salad instead of an extra slice of pizza), avoiding the fast foods and make time for exercise. It also helps to keep healthy snacks and water in your dorm room and not chips or sugary sodas. Here's Help For Avoiding the Freshman Fifteen
Photo © Griszka Niewiadomski Back To School - Avoiding the Freshman Fifteen originally appeared on About.com Nutrition on Tuesday, September 7th, 2010 at 11:13:39. Permalink | Comment | Email this |
| High Fructose Corn Syrup or Regular Sugar? |
|
So is regular white sugar better? Some higher-end soda companies use "real cane sugar" in their products. But is there really much difference between high fructose corn syrup and regular refined sugar? Learn more about sugar and high fructose corn syrup.
Photo © Gina Lee High Fructose Corn Syrup or Regular Sugar? originally appeared on About.com Nutrition on Thursday, September 2nd, 2010 at 10:15:18. Permalink | Comment | Email this |
| Is It Monday Already? |
|
Weekends go by so fast and it's already Monday. Do your eating habits change during the course of the week - do you eat more or less on the weekends? I know a lot of people abandon their healthy diet and 'have more fun' on the weekend. Is that really a bad thing? I think if you don't lose complete control over your diet, relaxing with a few fun foods now and then is perfectly okay. The USDA's MyPyramid.gov even gives you a few (like less than 200) calories every day to enjoy as a small treat. The problem occurs when you add extra calories every day, then your weight goes up and your risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes goes up along with your weight. So how do you do it? Do you have a little treat every day? Do you eat right almost every day and have a 'day off' from your healthy diet once a week? I'm more of the eat a little something fun every day type of person - usually chocolate - and maybe once a month I 'll have a day when I eat things that I typically avoid like a big ice cream sundae. Of course, even on one of those days, I still eat lots of fruits and vegetables.
Need a little help keeping your weekends under control or taming your sweet tooth? Here's how:
Is It Monday Already? originally appeared on About.com Nutrition on Monday, August 30th, 2010 at 08:28:27. Permalink | Comment | Email this |
| Egg Inspection and Egg Safety |
 The recent and massive egg recall has many people wondering about egg safety and how (and if) eggs in the United States are inspected. Eggs are part of most people's diets and every link in the egg production chain is periodically inspected, but as the recent egg recall demonstrates, problems with Salmonella contamination still exist. The Food and Drug Administration recently updated their final rule for egg safety to prevent Salmonella contamination of eggs. Some people blame large egg producers and agri-business in general and want tougher regulations and more frequent inspections by the Food Safety and Inspection Service, but others don't trust government agencies at all. Leave me a comment to let me know how you feel about food safety, the egg recall and the government agencies involved. Image © Marcello U. Egg Inspection and Egg Safety originally appeared on About.com Nutrition on Friday, August 27th, 2010 at 10:23:58. Permalink | Comment | Email this |
| Where to Start? |
|
Start by learning how to choose foods that fit your lifestyle. Soon you will be eating better, feeling healthier and looking great. More About a Healthy Diet: Photo © Pat Herman Where to Start? originally appeared on About.com Nutrition on Monday, August 23rd, 2010 at 22:29:12. Permalink | Comment | Email this |
High fructose corn syrup is used in soft drinks and many processed foods because it is cheaper than regular sugar. Since it is high in fructose, some people claim that high fructose corn syrup is largely responsible for our bigger waistlines. 
Eating a healthy diet is important for feeling good and for looking good, but it isn't always easy to choose the right foods. Are you confused about what makes a diet healthy?