By Carol M. Bareuther, RD
Calcium, like many nutrients, is a jack of many trades. It aids in blood clotting, nerve function, and muscle contraction in addition to helping maintain normal blood pressure. Most important, calcium is a component of teeth and bones, where it accounts for up to 2% of an adult’s body weight.
Healthy Bones
Low calcium intake is a prime cause of osteoporosis or porous bones, a condition in which bones become weak, brittle, and easily fractured. An estimated 44 million Americans, or 55% of adults aged 50 and older, have osteoporosis, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation. Women are four times more likely than men to develop the disease.
The best way to prevent and treat osteoporosis, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, is to engage in regular weight-bearing and muscle-strengthening exercise, avoid smoking and excess alcohol consumption, undergo a bone density test, take medication (if needed), and get the recommended daily amount of vitamin D and calcium.
The Institute of Medicine recommends that individuals over the age of 51 consume 1,200 mg of calcium per day. Some research suggests that the intake of 1,300 to 1,700 mg of calcium per day could reduce the osteoporotic fracture risk in people aged 65 and older by 30% to 50%.
The Recipe
Milk and dairy products have long been recognized as the greatest sources of calcium. However, there are many nondairy foods that contain this vital mineral. In addition, many foods are now fortified with calcium. The recipe for Salmon Broccoli Pasta Salad below incorporates ingredients that provide calcium from all three of these sources.
Cooking Tips
1. Eat calcium-rich dairy foods. One cup of milk provides approximately 300 mg of calcium. This same amount of calcium is found in 1.5 oz of hard cheese, such as Swiss, an ingredient in this recipe. Other cheeses such as provolone, mozzarella, cheddar, and Munster are also good sources of calcium, as is yogurt.
2. Add nondairy calcium foods. The canned salmon (don’t pick out those soft chewable bones because that’s where the calcium is) and broccoli in this recipe are good sources of calcium. For example, a 3-oz serving of salmon with bones and 1 cup of cooked broccoli both provide about 180 mg of calcium. However, the calcium in broccoli, as well as kale, Brussels sprouts, mustard greens, and turnip greens, is absorbed up to twice as well (40% to 64%) compared with the calcium in milk (32%).
However, spinach contains calcium as well as oxalic acid, a substance that prevents calcium from being absorbed in the body. Collard greens, sweet potatoes, rhubarb, and beans also contain oxalic acid. Other foods that supply calcium include sardines with the bones, tofu (made with calcium sulfate), and corn tortillas.
3. Include calcium-fortified foods. Calcium-fortified orange juice is an ingredient in this recipe that’s included in this category. According to a study conducted at the Osteoporosis Research Center at Creighton University in Omaha, Neb., calcium added as a powder in soy, rice, and orange juice can settle, forming calcium sludge at the bottom of the carton. It takes about a minute of vigorous shaking to distribute this calcium in suspension again.
Other calcium-fortified foods include soy milk, instant oatmeal, bread and English muffins, and breakfast cereals such as Whole Grain Total, Total Raisin Bran, Total Cranberry Crunch, Total Honey Clusters, and Golden Grahams.
— Carol M. Bareuther, RD, is a St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands-based writer who contributes to a variety of regional, national, and international publications.
Salmon Broccoli Pasta Salad
One 8-ounce package bow-tie pasta
1 head broccoli, cut into florets
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, pressed
2 tablespoons calcium-fortified orange juice
Black pepper, to taste
16 ounces canned salmon, drained and flaked into chunks
4 ounces Swiss cheese, cut into small cubes
Cook pasta according to package directions; drain well. Steam broccoli and carrots for 5 to 8 minutes, until crisp tender. Place olive oil, soy sauce, red wine vinegar, garlic, orange juice, and pepper into a container with a tight-fitting lid. Shake vigorously. Toss together the pasta, vegetables, salmon, cheese, and dressing in a large bowl.
Serves 4
Nutrition per serving: 421 calories, 21 g fat, 21 g carbohydrates, 51 mg cholesterol, 310 mg sodium, 2 g dietary fiber, 579 mg calcium
Recipe by Carol M. Bareuther, RD
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Great Valley Publishing Co., Inc.