The bones should be strong to avoid osteoporosis. As we age, bone loss is a common problem that arises and leads a way to pain in back, poor body posture and other problems. Calcium is a very important element for bone health and other age related problems. So, here are some sneaky ways to incorporate calcium into your daily diet.
1. Cheat with treats
When you are at a local shop to buy some frozen yogurt, just check its calcium content. You will be surprised to see that this processed yogurt is rich enough in its calcium value, say 200-300 mg/cup. Regular yogurt contains 300-400 mg/cup of calcium. Here is an impressive way to cheat: You can make fudge, pudding or a cake with the help of evaporated milk. A cup contains around 660 mg of calcium which is very impressive.
2. Make some cheesy main dishes
Be innovative and don’t limit your ideas by restricting them to a few cheeses like cheddar, Swiss and jack. Cheeses like Parmesan, ricotta and mozzarella are added to many dishes like pasta, casseroles and many other main dishes. These cheeses are easy to add and serve as an excellent option for incorporating calcium into diet and routine. You can also begin your day by adding up some cheese into your scramble or omelette. Sprinkling some cheese on the top of pizza base along with other vegetables is also a very good option.
3. Focus on calcium fortification
Calcium is a major nutrient that needs to be included in the diet and that’s why many foods have been fortified to increase the calcium levels. Foods that are labeled as “Calcium Fortified” such as soy milk, cereals for breakfast and also orange juices are some of the great food options to look for higher calcium levels.
4. Soak up the soy
You will be surprised to know that, soy milk which is calcium fortified contains a lot more calcium that milk. It has been calculated that a cup of soy milk contains as much as 400 mg of calcium. It has also been found in the studies that soy milk is much more easily absorbed as compared to normal milk. You can also snack on dried and fresh soybeans to increase the calcium intake. Another calcium rich food is Tofu. A half cup of tofu contains 250 mg of calcium and this makes 25 percent of the daily calcium requirement. If you wish to increase the calcium content more then choose the tofu which has calcium sulfate, as this is a much better bone building element.
5. Green your diet
Leafy green vegetables like cabbage, kale, lettuce, broccoli and bok choy are some of the few vegetables that are rich in their calcium content. But, the only problem associated with greens is that the substances like oxalate are not easily and readily absorbed when we compare them to dairy products. Spinach, beet greens and chard are the ones which have high oxalate content. The issue is not much to bother about if calcium is available from non-dairy sources as well. You can create some calcium rich combinations like lettuce and spinach salad along with beans or sesame seeds or even cheese. All these items are rich in their calcium content value.
6. Accompany some calcium with vitamin D as well
Vitamin D promotes good bone health by increasing calcium level and has a direct and deep relationship when it comes to calcium. In a research, it has been found out that during the winters when the vitamin D level goes down, our bone weight density also decreases by 2 to even 4 percent. To beat this deficiency, you should sit out in the sun for 15 minutes daily during winters.
7. Drink lattes and cut down coffee
Coffee contains a substance called caffeine which weakens the bones. It excretes the calcium from the body. Two cups of coffee in a day is normal though. A good supplement to coffee is latte. You can also add cream or milk to a cup of coffee.
8. Beware of high protein diets
Foods that have high animal protein are one of the greatest enemies as they leach out all the calcium from the bones. The reason behind this is that protein is broken up into many components and some of them are acidic in nature. To stabilize the effect of acid, the body uses calcium from the bones. Calcium acts as a source of buffer here. To boost the calcium level in the body, do eat red meat and eggs in one or two meals daily.