Calcium and milk

Osteoporosis is a silent disease affecting more than half of women and nearly a third of men over the age of 60 in New Zealand. World Osteoporosis day in 2010 is being held on the 20th October.

Osteoporosis has no symptoms and the disease offers its victims no warning until it is well established. Often the first sign that you have osteoporosis is when you break a bone. It is mistakenly thought of as a disease only affecting older people.

However young people can get it too. In the first 30 years of life it is very important to build a good stockpile of calcium for bone strength. This can help reduce the risk of developing weak bones in the later years of life.

Osteoporosis means “porous bone”. Bones become thin and lose their strength, meaning they are more likely to fracture.

One of the best ways to prevent or reduce your risk of developing osteoporosis is to ensure you have a good intake of dietary calcium.

The table below shows how much calcium we should be having in our diet each day.

The best dietary source of calcium is from our dairy products. If you are not a great milk drinker, then read my other related article, Osteoporosis, which gives other food sources for calcium. Today the variety of milks you can buy seems to be changing all the time. Many people I see are confused about what is the best choice for them. So lets look at some of the common milk types you can buy today.

* Meadow Fresh Calci-trim also has vitamin D added to assist with calcium absorption.

Different milk brands may vary in their composition so it is still important to read labels. Generally the lower fat milks have a higher calcium content.

For children and teenagers a good calcium intake is crucial. As milk provides both carbohydrate and protein it is a good food and will help satisfy the appetite while soft drinks contribute nothing in the way of nutrition. Some milks today are marketed specifically targeting children. Milks such as Calci-kids (Meadow Fresh) and Anchor Mega have vitamin D and Vitamin A added to look after bone health.

From the age of two onwards it is acceptable to change children over to a low fat milk. Before this the fat in milk is an important source of energy and fat soluble nutrients for them.

If you find it hard changing from a full fat milk to a lower fat milk, then try the ‘lite blue’ milks first, and then progress on to the ‘green’ or ‘yellow’ milks. To achieve the recommended daily intake of around 1,000-1,300 mg calcium per day you need to be choosing a calcium rich product to achieve this.

The idea that milk is fattening is not true especially if low fat dairy products are chosen. In fact, some studies are showing the benefit of including low fat milk in the diet to assist with weight loss.