Calcium In Diet Essay, Research Paper

Many people choose to avoid milk and other dairy products because they contain

fat, cholesterol, allergenic proteins, lactose, and frequently traces of

contamination. Milk is also linked to juvenile-onset diabetes, and other serious

conditions. Happily, there are plenty of other, safer and more reliable sources

of calcium. Keeping your bones strong depends more on preventing the loss of

calcium from your body than on boosting your calcium intake. Some cultures

consume no dairy products and typically ingest only 175 to 475 milligrams of

calcium per day. However, these people generally have low rates of osteoporosis.

Many scientists believe that exercise and other factors have more to do with

osteoporosis than calcium intake does. Calcium in the Body. Almost all the

calcium in the body is in the bones. There is a tiny amount in the bloodstream

which is responsible for important functions such as muscle contractions,

maintenance of the heartbeat, and transmission of nerve impulses. We constantly

lose calcium from our bloodstream through sweat and other excretions. It is

renewed with calcium from the bones. In this process, bones continually lose

calcium. This bone calcium must be replaced from food. Calcium needs change

throughout life. Up to the age of 30 or so, we consume more calcium than we

lose. Adequate calcium intake during childhood and adolescence is especially

important. Later, the body begins to slip into ?negative calcium balance?

and the bones start to lose more calcium than they take up. The loss of too much

calcium can lead to soft bones or osteoporosis. How rapidly calcium is lost

depends, in part, on the kind and amount of protein you eat as well as other

diet and life-style choices. Reducing Calcium Loss. A number of factors affect

calcium loss from the body: ? Diets that are high in protein cause more

calcium to be lost through the urine. Pro tein from animal products is much more

likely to cause calcium loss than protein from plant foods. This may be one

reason that vegetarians tend to have stronger bones than meat eaters. ?

Caffeine increases the rate at which calcium is lose through urine. ? Alcohol

inhibits calcium absorption. ? The mineral boron may slow the loss of calcium

from bones. ? Exercise slows bone loss and is one of the most important

factors in maintaining bone health. Sources of Calcium: Exercise and a diet

moderate in protein will help to protect your bones. People who eat plant-based

diets and who lead an active life-style probably have lower calcium needs.

However, calcium is an essential nutrient for everyone. It is important to eat

calcium-rich foods every day. The following chart will tell you the calcium

content of many foods. Legumes Calcium (mg) Chickpeas, 1 cup,

canned………………..78 Great Northern beans, 1 cup boiled………121

Green beans, 1 cup boiled………………..58 Green peas, 1 cup

boiled………………….44 Kidney beans, 1 cup boiled……………..50

Lentils, 1 cup boiled…………………………37 Lima beans, 1 cup

boiled………………….52 Navy beans, 1 cup boiled……………….128

Pinto beans, 1 cup boiled…………………82 Soybeans, 1 cup

boiled………………….175 Tofu, raw, firm – 1/2

cup………………….258 Vegetarian baked beans, 1 cup……….128 Wax

beans, 1 cup canned…………….. 174 White beans, 1 cup

boiled……………..161 If using ?Calcium Fortified? products, check the

source of the calcium.