Maria, Siquijor -- Having a glass of milk is undisputable for most of the households around the world. As a kid, we were often told by our parents that if we want to grow taller and have strong bones, we have to drink our milk every morning before we go to school and before going to bed.
We often hear our mothers say, “Milk makes healthy bones.” Their experiences make them believe what they still consider today. Who could blame them when they have seen and witnessed older people suffer and confined to bed because of osteoporosis? If we drink enough milk from childhood through adulthood, this will help slow the loss of calcium reserves in our bones as we age.
Drinking a glass of milk is emphasized in the Nutritional Guidelines for Filipinos’ latest version called the 10 KUMAINMENTS, particularly in the 5th Kumainment that states, “Uminom ng gatas; kumain ng pagkaing mayaman sa calcium.” By drinking a glass of milk, we can get enough calcium our body needs.
Calcium is very important and is the key to have healthy bones. Aside from making our bones healthy, calcium is also needed to build strong teeth, allows our blood to clot, makes our heart to beat normally and helps our muscles and nerves function properly. It is recommended that we meet our daily dose of calcium as low consumption of this mineral will put us at risk to hypertension and osteoporosis.
Although most people get their source of calcium from milk and other dairy products, if you’re a lactose intolerant, you should fret no more as there are other food sources rich in calcium. You can still get enough calcium from the list of calcium-rich foods below:
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*The calcium content listed for most foods is estimated and can vary due to multiple factors. Check the food label to determine how much calcium is in a particular product. // ND II Gracey Adolfo
Source: National Osteoporosis Foundation (2021). Sources of Calcium; retrieved from: nof.org/patients/treatment/calciumvitamin-d/a-guide-to-calcium-rich-foods.
