—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, June 2, 1973
42
How our bodies use calcium is
a fascinating topic. At one time
we assumed that the adult skele
ton was full grown and did not
need new calcium from our diet
to sustain itself. Then, some years
ago, we discovered through re
search that bone is constantly in
a process of exchange—of giving
up some of its calcium and taking
in new calcium.
When we learned this, we knew
that bone is body tissue, depend
ent upon nutrients in our daily
meals as a source of material for
rejuvenation.
Precise Knowledge
The subject of calcium becomes
even more interesting when one
realizes how precise is our knowl
edge. For example, calcium and
phosphorus (present in milk, in
cidentally, in ideal ratio) travel
to bone via our blood stream. At
the bone, tiny crystals of these
minerals deposit themselves
around a framework of protein.
As a bone grows or sustains it
self, new bone material deposits
itself on the outside of the bone.
But at the same time, bone ma
terial on the inside of the bone
shaft is absorbed into our blood
stream by the body for other
functions. When calcium in the
blood stream drops below a cer
tain level mechanisms are trig
gered to take calcium from the
bone. So, our bones need new cal
cium regularly from our food.
Another fascinating aspect of
bone is confirmed by research—
that bone strengthens itself in re
lation to the stress put on it. For
instance, when astronauts exper
ience weightlessness for any
NUTRITION A LA CARTE
• Calories measure how much
energy the food we eat will give
us. Thus, a calorie is not, in itself,
a nutrient. But since you need en
ergy you need calories, but not
too many. If you are fat it means
you are storing too much future
energy, or that you are lugging
aroung energy in the form of fat
that you’ll never use.
P. L ROHRER & BRO., INC.
SMOKETOWN, PA.
Doctor
in the Kitchen 0
by Laurence M. Hursh, M.D.
Consultant, National Dairy Council
HOW WE USE CALCIUM
length of time, they lose calcium
from their bones. This also hap
pens to people who by reason of
illness experience extensive bed
rest
As a physician I must wonder
if one of the reason older people
suffer less bone strength may be
due in part to their putting less
stress on their systems. We know
that many older people have prob
lems such as osteoporosis (bone
thinning) due to inadequate in
takes of calcium in their daily
meals
I recommend that they start
getting at least two 8-ounce glas
ses of milk per day, or its equi
valent in other dairy foods such
as cheese This will give them
about three-fourths of the Recom
mended Dietary Allowance for
calcium. Two 8-ounce glasses of
fluid whole milk and one ounce
of cheddar cheese will give you
782 mg of those 800 mg of cal
cium that are recommended for
an adult each day.
If you think this isn’t good ad
vice, just look at these amounts
of other foods you would have to
eat if you were to get enough
calcium without milk or milk
products:
Canned salmon (with bones) is
a good source of calcium. Still, it
would take almost 2% cups to
equal two glasses of milk. Dry
beans are a good source, too. But
to get enough calcium you’d need
almost 6 cups daily. Or 38 slices
of enriched bread, or 30 eggs, or
16 oranges, or 13 cups of squash.
It gets ridiculous. You need milk.
• Do you live alone and find
-cooking for one a problem? There
are ways to get more variety in
your meals. Take ground beef.
You don’t have to use it all on
successive days. Wrap ground
beef into separate small portions
and store in your freezer. Meat
loaf or spaghetti sauce doesn’t
have to be eaten all at once.
Calcium Comparisons
Phone Lane. 397-3539
• Adults, too, could improve
their snacks. The typical morning
coffee break is a case in point.
And for some people, it’s not just
a break, but their breakfast and
a poor one at that. Coffee break
snacks would be improved if they
included items such as cheese
wedges, oranges, fruit juices,
milk, cottage cheese with fruit,
or ready-to-eat cereals.
• How far back in history is but
ter mentioned? Well, butter dates
back as far as recorded history
and undoubtedly beyond. There’s
a Biblical reference in Genesis,
Chapter 18, the Bth verse—about
Abraham providing butter as part
of a meal. It seems that all
through the ages, people have
loved butter and regarded it as
one of the great delicacies.
• Everybody talks about losing
weight. But some people need to
gain weight. How can they do it?
Under-weight people should eat
more, and more often! they should
eat more of the foods that fur
nish more calories in small bulk
—meat, eggs, sweets, chocolate,
fats, and oils. Ask your doctor
about physical activity and more
rest.
• People ask me so here’s my
answer: There Is a difference be
tween chocolate milk and choco
late dairy drink. Chocolate milk
is made from whole milk and
chocolate dairy drink is made
from skim or partially sldm milk.
Otherwise, the two milk drinks
are made with similar ingredi
ents.
• From the simple one-celled
plant to highly complex human
beings, all living things need
sHm
Take home a
pound of nrmfilllk
Pound for pound milk packs more nutritional value than
meat, fish, fruit or fowl. Yet it costs only per pound.
Why the low cost? Milk is a natural nutrition source. It
stands to reason that the less you have to put into a food, the
lower the cost to the consumer. With milk there’s no special
processing required. It already contains more calcium and
vitamins A, B 2 and C than ground beef and most other
foods. And because milk is still sold in its natural liquid form,
it has escaped the skyrocketing costs of today’s “heat and
serve” foods.
We don’t suggest that you make milk your only source of
nutrition, but, at a pound, it should be an important part
of it. Put a couple extra pounds of milk in your shopping
cart this week.
This message represents the thinking of 9,000 dairy
farmers belonging to the low cost cooperative association.
1 EASTERN
- MILK PRODUCERS
COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION. INC.
Kinne Road, Syracuse, New York 13214
food. Food is necessary to sup
port growth, to repair tissues,
which constantly are wearing out,
and to supply energy for physical
activity. If your meals do not fur
nish all the dements you need
your body will not operate at
peak efficiency for very long.
TRY A CLASSIFIED AD
PHONE 626-2191 or 394-304
• Corn Seed Treatment
• Special Price on Baymix
Cattle Warmers
• Shovels, forks, rakes, hoes
• Rohrer's Garden Seeds
AARON S. GROFF
Farm & Dairy Store
R.D :!. Ephrata, Pa. 17342 (Hinkletown) Phone3s4-0744
Store Hours 7 A.M. to 9 P.M.
Closed Tues. & Sat. at 5:30 P.M.
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