This week on Hawaii New Now Sunrise, we covered the million dollar question when it comes to dealing with, or hopefully preventing osteoporosis in the first place: How do we cultivate healthy bones?
Last week we were talking about how exercise is the number one best treatment when it comes to osteoporosis and encouraging bone density. The other half of the equation is nutrition. We have to give our bodies the building blocks to generate as much new, healthy bone mass as possible. That means calcium and vitamin D.
As with any nutrition question, a lot of times we’ll look for the quick solution, supplements and medications to make up for what’s lacking in our daily food intake. The problem is, that no matter what medications or supplements we’re talking about, there’s always the risk for adverse reactions and consequences. Even with something as simple as calcium, there’s been a link to an increased risk of kidney stones due to the fact that the supplements carry so much calcium and it’s so easy to actually get too much!
Good, whole foods are always going to be our best first choice for your calcium needs. Vitamin D is actually best absorbed and used by the body when you get it from direct sunlight. The problem there is that if you’re following the Surgeon General’s advice and wearing sunscreen whenever you go out, you’re actually blocking out all the vitamin D as well. So I’ll include a list at the bottom of this blog entry for both calcium and vitamin D rich foods.
The National Academy of Sciences has developed recommendations for how much calcium and vitamin D you need at every age:
- Young children 1-3 years old should get 700 milligrams (mg) of calcium a day.
- Children 4-8 years old should get 1,000 mg per day.
- Teenagers should get 1,300 mg of calcium a day.
- Adults up to age 70 should get 1,000 mg per day. Women 51 and over should get 1,200 mg per day.
- Women and men 71 and over should get 1,200 mg per day.
To help utilize that calcium, many physicians and researchers are recommending as much as 800 to 12,000 iu of vitamin D each day.
Keep in mind that every individual is different in his or her needs. So, as with anything else you read here, please consult your doctor to make sure you’re following the guidelines that best apply to your specific situation.
Please join us on Tuesday, May 22nd at 11am for a free 1 hour osteoporosis workshop. We’ll be talking and working in depth on how to apply exercise and nutrition to your best advantage against osteoporosis. Call Jt at 808-397-3280 or email at jt@movefitness.us with any questions.
- Source: Healthlink BC Nutrition Series Healthlink BC file 68e March 2011
| Food | Serving | Vitamin D (IU) |
| Milk | 1 cup | 103 |
| Fortified rice or soy beverage | 1 cup | 88 |
| Fortified orange juice | 1/2 cup | 53 |
| Fortified margarine | 2 tsp | 51 |
| Egg yolk | 1 | 25 |
| Herring, cooked | 75 g | 162 |
| Trout, cooked | 75 g | 210 |
| Mackerel, cooked | 75 g | 81 |
| Salmon, Atlantic, cooked | 75 g | 246 |
| Salmon, chum, canned | 75 g | 168 |
| Salmon, pink, canned | 75 g | 435 |
| Salmon, sockeye, canned | 75 g | 585 |
| Sardines, Atlantic, canned | 75 g | 70 |
| Sardines, Pacific, canned | 75 g | 360 |
| Tuna, canned, light or white | 75 g | 44 |
| Tuna, yellowfin (albacore, ahi), cooked | 75 g | 105 |
| Tuna, skipjack, cooked | 75 g | 381 |
| Tuna, bluefin, cooked | 75 g | 690 |
| Other | Serving | calcium (mg) |
| Blackstrap molasses | 1 Tbsp | 179 |
| Asian Foods | Serving | calcium (mg) |
| Dried fish, smelt | 35 g | 560 |
| Daylily flower | 100g | 301 |
| Tempeh, cooked | 100g | 96 |
| Fat choy (black moss), dried | 10g | 88-122 |
| Soy bean curd slab, semisoft | 100 g | 308 |
| Soybean milk film, stick shape | 100g | 77 |
| Seaweed, Wakame, raw | 1/2 cup | 63 |
| Seaweed, dry (agar) | 1/2 cup | 50 |
| Dairy Foods | Serving | calcium (mg) |
| Milk, whole, 2%, 1% skim | 1 cup | 291-324 |
| Milk, evaporated | 1/2 cup | 367 |
| Buttermilk | 1 cup | 300-370 |
| Kefir | 1 cup | 267 |
| Cheese, hard | 50 g | 370 (average)* |
| Processed cheese spread | 4 Tbsp | 348 |
| Cheese, processed slices | 50 g | 276 |
| Cottage cheese, 1 or 2% | 1 cup | 156 |
| Cottage cheese, <0.1% | 1 cup | 51 |
| Pudding or custard made with milk | 1/2 cup | 150 |
| Yogurt, plain | 3/4 cup | 290 (average)* |
| Yogurt, fruit bottom | 3/4 cup | 233 (average)* |
| Frozen yogurt, soft serve | 1/2 cup | 110 |
| Ice cream | 1/2 cup | 97 |
| *calcium content varies, check label | ||
| Beans and Bean Products | Serving | calcium (mg) |
| Tofu, medium firm or firm, made with calcium sulphate | 150 g | 347 |
| Tofu, firm or extra firm, made with calcium sulphate and magnesium chloride | 150 g | 234 |
| White beans | 3/4 cup | 119 |
| Navy beans | 3/4 cup | 93 |
| Black turtle beans | 3/4 cup | 75 |
| Pinto beans, chickpeas | 3/4 cup | 58 |
| Nuts and Seeds | Serving | calcium (mg) |
| Tahini (sesame seed butter) | 2 Tbsp | 130 |
| Almonds, dry roast | 1/4 cup | 93 |
| Almond butter | 2 Tbsp | 88 |
| Sesame seed kernels, dried | 1/4 cup | 50 |
| Meats, Fish, and Poultry | Serving | calcium (mg) |
| Sardines, Atlantic, canned with bones | 75 g | 286 |
| Sardines, Pacific, canned with bones | 75 g | 180 |
| Salmon, canned with bones | 75 g | 208 |
| Grains | Serving | calcium (mg) |
| Bannock | 1 med (37g) | 84 |
| Oats, instant, regular, no sugar added | 1 pouch | 82 |
| Non Dairy Drinks | Serving | calcium (mg) |
| Fortified rice or soy beverage | 1 cup | 319** |
| Orange juice fortified with calcium and vitamin D | 1/2 cup | 185 |
| Regular soy beverage | 1 cup | 98 |
| **added calcium sometimes settles at the bottom of the container; shake well before drinking | ||
| Vegetables (all measures for cooked vegetables) | Serving | calcium (mg) |
| Turnip greens | 1/2 cup | 104 |
| Chinese cabbage/bok choy | 1/2 cup | 84 |
| Okra | 1/2 cup | 65 |
| Mustard greens | 1/2 cup | 55 |
| Kale | 1/2 cup | 49 |
| Chinese broccoli/gai lan | 1/2 cup | 46 |
| Broccoli | 1/2 cup | 33 |
| Fruit | Serving | calcium (mg) |
| Orange | 1 med | 52 |
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