Matilda Ravoich

The writer is a fitness consultant at Sukh Cha’n Wellness Club

Calcium is the major constituent of bone and tooth material, so we need more of it than any other mineral.
The average human body contains more than 1 kilo of calcium and about 1g a day is required to maintain that level. Dairy products like milk and hard cheese - especially the lower-fat varieties - are good sources of calcium. Tinned sardines are also good.

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 yogurt and reduced-fat cheese.
You don’t have to buy their full-fat counterparts to look after your bones.

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 aging 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.

Eating large amounts of protein and salt (sodium chloride) in the diet stimulates loss of calcium in the urine, so diets high in salt and protein predispose people to calcium deficiency, as well as many other health problems.

A diet high in potassium, on the other hand, tends to reduce the amount of calcium lost from the body.
Increasing dietary potassium intake by eating eight portions of fresh fruits and vegetables every day can help decrease calcium excretion, even when someone eats a diet high in sodium.

Caffeine has some effect on calcium absorption but this is smaller and less significant than some people claim. One cup of ordinary brewed coffee causes the loss of only 3 milligrams of calcium overall - about the amount in one tablespoon of milk.

Calcium for vegans and the lactose intolerants:

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 milk, yogurt and cheese 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:

# One pint of milk.

# Two small tubs of plain or fruit yogurt.

# About 80g of hard cheese.

Benefits:

Helps maintain strong bones and teeth.

Helps messages to be sent along nerves.

Regulates muscle contraction and heart beat.

Good for the immune system.

Helps to combat cancer and heart disease.

Helps body to metabolize iron.

Calcium deficiency symptoms

Weak bones and teeth.

Leg cramps.

Recommended daily allowance for calcium:

US RDA: 800-1200mg

EU RDA: 800mg


Weight loss

Many people trying to lose weight tend to avoid dairy products like milk and cheese because they think it will make them gain weight instead of losing weight. This causes a lot of people who are trying to lose weight to have a calcium deficiency.

So what is the latest theory regarding dairy products and weight loss?

Calcium helps you lose weight

Research has shown that having a sufficient amount of calcium in your body can increase the efficiency of weight loss by up to 65%, while having a deficiency will have you gaining weight! Calcium in fat cells is needed to help break down the fat. So how can you ensure you get enough calcium?

Three servings of low-fat dairy products

The key here is low fat. Do not buy full cream milk as it is the low fat items you need to purchase. You need the calcium without adding too much fat. The daily recommended calcium intake for adults is 1200mg. This will generally be fulfilled if you have three servings a day (you should be having at least two anyway). Fish, almonds, oats, and dark leafy vegetables also have calcium and are recommended if you are lactose intolerant. Do not disregard dairy products as fattening because you will only be doing more harm than good. It is important that you get a good balance of nutrients into your body. Losing weight is no good if your health is at risk so make sure you are getting enough calcium. It will make your journey to losing weight easier and quicker.

”Don’t relax your efforts, otherwise it will take you a long time to achieve what you are after”
Zen Master Roshi Philip Kapleau

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