Calcium
The human skeleton is destined to turn into a fragile shell if we deprive it of the raw materials it needs. The key weight-bearing bones in the body are the hip, upper thigh, and spine. If the mineral content of these bones dips to low, they lose their ability to support the body and can snap or begin to crumble without warning. This condition is called osteoporosis (os-tee-oh-pore-OH-sis).
At present, osteoporosis is incurable. It's believed to account for more than a million broken bones every year, and is indirectly involved in one in five deaths in people over 70. It's estimated that one-third of the postmenopausal women in this country suffer from this disease.
The strength and long-term health of the body's precious framework depend to a large degree on our diet. Calcium, the most plentiful mineral in the body, tops the list. Its role in our bones is only one of calcium's responsibilities.
Prevention Is a Long-Term Proposition
Like an active bank account, the bones of our skeleton, despite their solid feel, are involved in a continuous process of mineral deposits and withdrawals. Childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood – up to about age 35 – are the critical times to "bone up" on dietary calcium. It is during these periods that the body has the capacity to save its dietary calcium. The amount of savings, however, depends entirely on the calcium in the diet, and the importance of this cannot be overemphasized.
Once we hit our thirties, the body's automatic teller begins to shift gears. Our dietary deposits are no longer able to keep pace with the withdrawals, no matter how much calcium we eat. The third decade of life is the star of a slow but continuous erosion of the skeleton. From that point on, diet helps determine how fast this deterioration occurs.
Best Food Sources
When dietary sources of calcium are discussed, milk and milk products tend to hold center stage. Dairy products represent more than 75 percent of the calcium in the American diet. One 8-ounce glass of skim milk contains about 302 milligrams of calcium; that's 25 percent of the RDA for a teenager or young adult.
From The Nutrition Doctor's A-to-Z Food Counter. Copyright © Ed Blonz, 1999. Used by arrangement with NAL Signet, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
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