Calcium is essential for healthy bones to help them grow strong and prevent them from becoming porous. From child hood through to early adulthood it is important to have calcium rich diet as this is when the calcium is laid down in your bones. After about your mid-30’s the bones start to lose calcium so it is important to keep topping up your calcium in order to minimise age related bone losses
Unfortunately many people calcium intake is too low because it is common for people to cut out high fat foods like cheese and milk to help them lose weight. Your daily multivitamin and mineral supplement will contain some calcium but is unlikely to contain enough – you need to get the additional calcium from your diet.
Dairy products such as milk, cheese and yoghurt are the best calcium providers – remember to choose the low fat options. However there are other foods you can have to boost your calcium intake. These include:
- Sardines or pilchards
- Spinach
- Baked beans
- Sesame seeds
- Prawns
- Oranges
- Bread
- Broccoli
- Dried apricots
- Tofu
- Spring greens
- Okra, kale, cabbage
- Canned salmon
- Kidney beans
- Brazil nuts
- Soya yoghurts and milk (with added calcium)
- Calcium fortified mineral water
Vitamin D is also needed for strong healthy bones because this can help the calcium to be absorbed. The main source of Vitamin D is the action of sunlight on our skin, however with the great British summers it might be a good idea to get some from your diet.It is now recommended that in the uK in the winter months we take Vit D supplements or double check your multivitamin contains Vitamin D
Sources of Vitamin D include:
- Oily fish
- Eggs
- Fortified margarines
- Liver
- Fortified breakfast cereals
- Fortified fruit juices
