March 15, 2001

Prairie Fare: Have You Thought about Your Bones Lately?

By Julie Garden-Robinson, Food and Nutrition Specialist
NDSU Extension Service

It’s easy to take good health and easy mobility for granted. About a year ago my daughter Grace, then age 1, broke her leg in an unfortunate indoor collision with an older child at daycare. While Grace’s tiny hot-pink cast did make quite a fashion statement, the several weeks of healing and her lack of mobility made life a little difficult for her and the rest of the family. Grace eventually re-learned how to walk with the cast and is fine today, but it made my family think about our bones a little more.

Bones, of course, are primarily made up of calcium. Without enough calcium in our bones, we literally wouldn’t have a leg to stand on. Currently about 25 million American women suffer from osteoporosis, a condition where bones become fragile and easily fractured. Even though women are more at risk for osteoporosis, males can also be affected. Answering "yes" to any of the following questions could indicate you may be more at risk for developing osteoporosis:

1. Are you female?
2. Do you have a family history of osteoporosis?
3. Are you of Caucasian or Asian descent?
4. Are you over age 35?
5. If female, have you had your ovaries removed?
6. Do you smoke cigarettes?
7. Is your diet low in calcium (under 1000 mg/day)?
8. Do you limit dairy foods?
9. Do you have a high protein intake?
10. Do you drink more than two alcoholic drinks per day?

Keeping our bones strong and healthy throughout life takes some effort. You can help protect yourself from developing osteoporosis by consuming plenty of calcium-rich foods throughout life and by getting enough weight-bearing physical activity, like walking. Calcium supplements are another option to consider with your healthcare provider. Adequate vitamin D promotes the absorption of calcium.

Calcium needs differ depending on age. The current calcium recommendations are: 500 milligrams (mg) daily for 1-3 year olds, 800 mg for 4-8 year olds, 1300 mg for 9-18 year olds, 1000 mg for 19-50 year olds and 1200 mg for adults over age 51. Dairy products like milk, yogurt and cheese are excellent calcium sources. A cup of milk, for example, contains about 300 mg of calcium. Some plant foods like broccoli, collards, kale, mustard greens, almonds and dried beans naturally contain calcium. Certain types of orange juice, cereals and other items in the grocery store have been fortified with calcium, too.

To learn more about your calcium intake, read the "percent daily value" for calcium on the Nutrition Facts labels for different food products. Add a zero to this number to convert it to milligrams. For example, a serving of yogurt might contain 35 percent of the daily value for calcium, or 350 mg of calcium.

Some naturally occurring food components can affect calcium absorption. Oxalates, which are found in calcium-containing plant foods like spinach and sweet potatoes, can decrease calcium absorption. Phytates, found in some high-fiber grain products, also may inhibit calcium absorption. Diets high in protein or sodium can increase the amount of calcium lost in the urine.

Here’s a recipe from the National Fluid Milk Processor Promotion Board developed by Jeanne Jones, an expert at creating tasty menu items that are lower in fat than conventional recipes. Each serving (one-fourth of the recipe) contains about 300 calories, 6 grams of fat and 344 milligrams of calcium.

Chicken a la King

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter
4 ounces fresh mushrooms, chopped (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon black pepper (freshly ground, preferably)
4 cups fat free or lowfat milk, heated
1 tablespoon powdered chicken base
8 ounce cooked chicken breast, diced (about 2 cups)
1 4-oz jar pimiento (about 1/2 cup)
4 slices whole wheat bread, toasted

Procedure:
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the mushrooms and green pepper and cook, stirring frequently until pepper is crisp tender, about 8 minutes. Add the flour and black pepper, stirring constantly, about 3 minutes. Add the hot milk and chicken stock base and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Add the chicken and pimiento and continue stirring until heated. To serve, spoon 1 cup of the mixture over each slice of toast. This recipe also could be served over pasta, rice or baked potatoes.

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Source: Julie Garden-Robinson, (701) 231-7187, jgardenr@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Tom Jirik, (701) 231-9629, tjirik@ndsuext.nodak.edu