Are You Milking Your Diet?
"Calcium, Dairy Products, and Calcium Rich Foods"
By Tony Ostian, Health and Fitness Director
If you're like millions of other people, you probably vowed to lose weight this year!
I'm here to tell you about a new approach to losing weight, one that doesn't include starving yourself or following a new fad.
New research suggests that adding calcium rich milk to your diet will do more than just keep your bones healthy. In fact, studies show that drinking milk daily may make it easier to lose weight.
You see, calcium rich diets, especially ones that include at least 3 servings of milk a day, can help play a major role in assisting your body's natural ability to burn fat.
Better yet, research shows that milk may help promote the loss of body fat while maintaining muscle, which is important when it comes to losing weight.
Preconceived notions of dropping dairy products as a calorie-cutting tactic is not only bad for your bones, it could make it even harder to lose weight.
Which brings up this question:
How does calcium help you maintain a healthy weight or lose inches and pounds if you need to?
Researchers believe that when your body doesn't get enough calcium, it starts a defense mechanism to preserve what
calcium it does have. Part of that process is a hormonal response that starts the fat-storing method and slows down the process that breaks fat down again for energy.
So how much Calcium do you really need?
As you age, your need for calcium changes. From the age of 19 to 50, you should aim for at least 1,000 mg a day. After age 50, that amount should increase to at least 1,200 mg daily for a man and 1,300 mg for a woman.
See how different versions of milk add up:
| Milk |
Serving size |
Calcium |
Calories |
Fat (g) |
| Fat Free |
1 cup |
300 mg |
80 |
0 g |
| 1/2% Low Fat |
1 cup |
300 mg |
90 |
1 g |
| 1% Low fat |
1 cup |
300 mg |
100 |
2.5 g |
| Reduced Fat 2% |
1 cup |
300 mg |
120 |
5 g |
| Whole Milk 3.25% |
1 cup |
300 mg |
150 |
8 g |
| 1% Low fat chocolate milk |
1 cup |
290 mg |
160 |
2.5 g |
Any type of milk is an easy and natural way to get calcium. Each 8-ounce serving of white milk provides 300 milligrams. To help you cut calories and fat, you may opt for fat free or low fat milk. They contain the same amount of
calcium, protein and other nutrients as whole milk.
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Keep in mind that other dairy, calcium rich foods can also contribute to your daily
calcium needs. Aim to get at least 3 servings of milk, yogurt or cheese each day.
Remember, butter, cream cheese and sour cream are NOT considered
dairy servings and contribute little, if any,
calcium.
On the other hand, if you’re not a dairy products eater/drinker, there are other
calcium rich foods that give you plenty of calcium.
They are:
- Cooked broccoli
- Kale
- Swiss chard
- Mustard greens and other dark leafy greens
- Tofu
- Almonds
- Cooked spinach
- Turnip greens
- Canned salmon (with the bones)
- and Sardines
All of these foods are high in calcium.
Remember, little changes in the amount of calories and milk you drink, combined with physical activity, can help tip the scale in your favor. Your success with weight loss should be measured not only by how much you lose, but also by whether you keep the weight off.
Successful weight losers tend to adopt new lifestyle habits that become second nature. This natural and healthy approach to weight loss is a means of eating that you can stick with for a lifetime.
