Wellness Wednesday
- Sandy Ryan
- Jan 6, 2022
- 5 min read
HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone!
Today’s topic is Calcium. Why you may ask? Because I recently had a bone density scan and it was worse than last time. So much worse the doctor now wants me on an osteoporosis medication.
So, my target for this year is to find ways to add calcium into almost everything I consume. It’s also important to consider what foods/beverages prohibit one’s body from absorbing calcium.
We’ll start with the easiest to achieve first. I’ll start adding collard greens chopped well into my weekly soups. I love them anyway so that’s easy. There’s 266 mg of calcium in one cup of collard greens. The highest I could find in a veggie. I can also add greens to a smoothie and I’ll add stir fry with cauliflower rice once a week so I can add greens, Bok choy into the stir fry too. Bok choy has 160 mg in one cup and cooks down a lot. We can make chicken, pork or shrimp stir fry so we don’t get tired of it. On a personal level, we rarely buy beef. We have found it less expensive for us to buy a shrimp at Fresh Thyme Market on sale. We have it about two times a month. I’ll pay $9 for a two-pound bag. I’ve started adding the shrimp peels to my stock. Every bit of calcium helps.
Yogurt is an excellent source of calcium so I’ll increase that every day to two servings. Each eight ounces of regular yogurt has 310mg vs Greek yogurt which has 200mg. Greek yogurt will have more protein, but right now, I need the calcium, and I’ll get the protein from a supplement in the smoothie.
While we really stay away from processed foods, it may be time to add cereal back on to the list as cereals are fortified with calcium. Some have up to 1000 mg per serving. That with 1 cup of milk, cow’s milk or almond milk provides 300 mg. A great evening snack!
Have you tried chia pudding?? This stuff is AWESOME in my opinion. Not only do they have 179mg of calcium they’re an amazing source of Omega –3Fatty Acids. The serving size is two tablespoons. Use 1 cup of any type of milk, 2 T chia seeds, and your favorite add ins. Nuts, PB Powder, cocoa, fruit. A great breakfast or snack. That’s an easy 479 mg of calcium where my goal is 1800mg. I used to make these up for a few days at a time. I need to start back. It’s an easy thing to implement, it’s just the mindset.
When I was a kid, my dad and I would eat sardines and crackers while watching football or boxing together. Or cheese and crackers. It’s really hard to bring myself to eat sardines again, but I may have to. Another excellent source of calcium is salmon. I think most people love salmon, I however, cannot stand fresh/frozen salmon. I do however, love salmon patties. So, I’ve added it to my weekly rotation too. My husband can have his salmon fillet and I’ll make salmon patties. Canned Salmon has 330 mg in 5 ounces. Pretty awesome! Sardines contain a whopping 569mg in 5 ounces.
These two oil fish provide quality protein and omega-3 fatty acids, which support the health of one’s heart, brain and skin. While seafood in general may contain mercury, smaller fish like sardines have low levels. In fact, both of these fish have levels of selenium, a mineral that can actually prevent and reverse mercury toxicity.
Now, for thing to delete from my diet. NOT SO FUN!
Chocolate- has lots of tannins and they prevent the absorption of calcium. However, avoid high calcium foods or supplements while consuming chocolate in moderation at the same time and it should be ok.
Caffeine-, THIS is my vice, coffee or caffeinated tea. Again, it’s the tannins in tea and coffee. I’m switching to de-cafe as I just love coffee. Hot, Iced, it doesn’t matter. I LOVE coffee.
Sugar is actually worse that salt in the absorption of calcium. Again, the proof that moderation is needed for a healthy body.
Phosphorus- fatty cheeses, soft drinks, high-protein and ultra-processed foods. Therefore, it is necessary to avoid excess with these products. But phosphorus is essential. However, it is my personal opinion that soda or soft drinks are so very unhealthy. Regular or diet, they're just not beneficial to our body in any way. I gave up soda in 2009. Since then I think I've literally had maybe 3 -5 sodas. Now, I just can't stand it. It's just too sweet. Please consider giving up soda. Please.
Tobacco- I did not know tobacco prevented calcium absorption until today. I won't get on a soap box, but wanted to list it here in case someone need just one more reason to give up smoking or chewing tobacco.
Sugar and salt also prevent calcium absorption. So please, use these in moderation. It's
said, to keep one's kidneys healthy the consumption of sodium should be kept to less than 1800 mg. This is easy to achieve when cooking from scratch, which, of course, I encourage all to do.
Here are this week's recipes, targeting calcium and recommended daily intake of calcium.
Calcium Rich Recipes
Indian Iced Coffee
57 calories, 430 mg calcium
1 T de-cafe coffee powder
½ c milk any kind chilled
½ c coconut milk chilled
¼ t cinnamon powder
1c ice cubes
Mix powdered coffee into ½ c hot water in bowl or cup and set aside.
Fill a mason jar, cup or glass with ice and pour coffee over ice.
Add milk and cinnamon and any sweetener you prefer. Stir well. Add coconut for beautiful ripple effect. Serve immediately.
Vegetable Soup
chicken stock 2qts
Corn 1 c
Green beans 2 c
Spinach or collard greens rough chopped 4c
Onion 1 chopped
Celery 1 c chopped
Carrots 1 c chopped or diced.
Olive oil 1T
Potatoes 1c chopped
Turnip 1c chopped
Roasted Garlic 1-2 t +/- to taste
Cayenne pepper to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
Canned diced tomatoes 4 c
Italian seasoning, 2t +/- to taste
In large pot sauté onion, celery, carrots in hot oil 5-7 minutes. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to boil, simmer until veggies are tender. Please, don’t peel your potatoes, or turnips, just scrub clean or do vinegar water soak.
This makes 4 huge servings, 388 calories, 21g protein, 229mg calcium.
Be sure to comment and let me know if there's another nutrition topic you'd like to hear about. And always, remember, it's OK to not be perfect, just keep moving in the right direction.
This article does not provide medical advice. It is intended for informational and educational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek professional medical advice from your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions or concerns you may have regarding any medical condition. NEVER disregard medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this blog.
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