Cow’s milk is an excellent source of calcium which, along with vitamin D, is needed to build strong, dense bones.
Milk also contains protein, the minerals phosphorus, potassium, zinc and iodine, as well as vitamins A, B2 (riboflavin) and B12 (cobalamin).
As a child, I drank a lot of milk. It was delivered in pint bottles to our steps each morning. I also drank a third of a pint before going to class as part of the free school milk scheme. I always like milk, which makes it easier to get enough calcium.
Of course, many people don’t drink milk for a number of reasons. The good news is that you can get all the calcium and other nutrients you need from other foods.
Dairy products like cheese and yogurt are rich in calcium, while non-dairy foods like tofu, canned fish with bones, green leafy vegetables, nuts and seeds contain varying amounts.
Some foods are fortified with added calcium, including some breakfast cereals and soy, rice, oat, and nut “milks.” Check the nutrition information panels on food labels to see how much calcium they contain.
However, it is much more difficult for your body to absorb calcium from non-dairy foods. Although your body absorbs calcium best from plant foods, and also when your total calcium intake is low, the overall effect means that if you don’t have dairy products, you may need to eat more foods containing calcium to maximize your bone. health.
Depending on your age and gender, daily calcium requirements range from 360 milligrams per day to over 1,000 mg for teens and older women.
A 250ml cup of cow’s milk contains about 300mg of calcium, which is equivalent to a standard serving. This same amount is found in:
200 grams of yogurt
250 ml plant-based milks fortified with calcium
100 grams canned pink salmon with bones
100 grams of firm tofu
115 grams of almonds.
In Australia, the recommended number of daily servings of dairy and non-dairy alternatives vary:
children should have between 1 and 3.5 servings per day, depending on their age and gender
women between the ages of 19 and 50 should have 2.5 servings a day, then 4 servings when they are over 50
men between the ages of 19 and 70 should have 2.5 servings a day, then 3.5 servings when they are over 70.
However, the average intake in Australia is only 1.5 servings per day, and only one in ten meet the recommendations.
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