The Building Blocks for Healthy Bones

Since you were a little kid you’ve probably heard it over and over again: Drink your milk; it will make you strong! Now, milk probably isn’t one of your favorite things to drink. But the fact remains that milk is important for you, because it’s one of the
best sources of calcium.

What is it and Why Do I Need it?
Calcium is a mineral that is the main building block for strong, healthy bones and teeth. It also helps your muscles and nerves develop and work properly. Calcium is stored in bones, so when your body needs more, it will “borrow” some from your bones’ supply.

Getting enough calcium is especially important to teens and tweens who are still growing, since their bones are still forming. How much calcium you get now can even affect how tall you become later, because up to half of your skeleton is formed during your teen years!

How Much of it Do I Need?
If you’re like most kids, you probably think you’re getting plenty of calcium. But the truth is that most kids aren’t getting nearly enough! Kids between the ages of nine and 18 need about 1300 milligrams of calcium every day — that’s more than any other age group, even adults! (To give you an idea of how much that is, one cup of milk has about 300 milligrams of calcium, or just under 1/3 your daily requirement.)

How Can I Get it?
There are plenty of ways to get your calcium. Try these tasty options:

• Blend a quick smoothie with lowfat plain or vanilla yogurt, strawberries and bananas (or pick any of your favorite fruit.) Up the flavor and calcium quotient by adding calcium-fortified orange juice to the mix.

• Make your own yogurt parfaits by adding fruit and whole grain granola to lowfat plain yogurt for a tasty, healthy snack.

• Cheese, please! Add lowfat shredded cheese to your salads for a calcium punch, or snack on mozzarella string cheese for a calciumand protein-rich treat.

• Have a pizza party. A slice or two of cheesy, veggie-loaded pizza is another way to enjoy your calcium!

But I’m Lactose Intolerant! What Can I Do to Get Calcium?
Luckily, there are plenty of dairy-free, calcium-rich options. You can try soymilk or lactose-free milk, which will give you just as much calcium per serving as traditional milk. Many whole grain foods are also fortified with calcium, such as oatmeal, crackers and cereals. Dark green veggies like broccoli are also good sources of calcium.