Dairy for Bones
Building Unbeatable Bones with Dairy Foods
Dairy foods such as milk, cheese and yogurt are classed as one of the five core food groups and, according to the Australian Dietary Guidelines for Children and Adolescents, 'milk is one of the most complete of all foods' - providing many of the nutrients needed for life.
Dairy foods provide a package of more than ten essential nutrients, many of which are important for growing and maintaining strong, healthy bones. They contain calcium, which we know is essential for strong bones, as well as protein, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and zinc, which have also been shown to be beneficial for bone health.
Milk, cheese and yogurt contain a unique combination of bone-building nutrients and can play a key role in building unbeatable bones throughout life.
Dairy - The Richest Source of Calcium
Dairy is an important part of a healthy, balanced diet. Childhood and adolescence are times of rapid growth, with an increased demand for essential nutrients such as calcium.
Dairy foods, such as milk, cheese and yogurt, are the richest and most reliable sources of calcium in the Australian diet. Dairy foods contain a lot of calcium per serve and this calcium is well absorbed by the body. People who have three serves of dairy food every day as part of a balanced diet are likely to achieve the recommended dietary intake for calcium.
Few other foods provide as much absorbable calcium per serve. A person would need to eat 32 Brussels sprouts, or one cup of dry-roasted almonds, or six and a half cups of shredded green cabbage, or 21 cups of raw chopped spinach, to absorb the same amount of calcium as from a 250mL glass of milk.
Some of these plant sources of calcium may also contain components such as phytates and oxalates that reduce the uptake of calcium into the body.
Check out the Calcium Content Guide to see the calcium content in different food and drinks.
In May 2006, the National Health and Medical Research Council announced new recommendations for the amount of calcium needed each day. In light of these recommendations, most people need at least three serves of dairy foods a day to be sure they are getting enough calcium.
Teens (12 to 18 years), women over 50 years and men over 70 years have the highest calcium needs of all age groups so should make at least one of their three serves a calcium-enriched dairy product (such as milk with extra calcium added).
Recommended Dietary Intake (RDI) for Calcium:
| |
Age (years) |
RDI for calcium (mg) |
No. of dairy (milk, cheese & yogurt) |
| Children |
1-3 |
500 |
2 |
4-8 |
700 |
3 |
| Boys |
9-11 |
1000 |
3 |
12-13 |
1300 |
4* |
14-18 |
1300 |
4* |
| Girls |
9-11 |
1000 |
3 |
12-13 |
1300 |
4* |
14-18 |
1300 |
4* |
| Men |
19-70 |
1000 |
3 |
Over 70 |
1300 |
4* |
| Women |
19-50 |
1000 |
3 |
Over 50 |
1300 |
4* |
| Pregnant |
Over 18 |
1000 |
3 |
| Lactating |
Over 18 |
1000 |
3 |
*or three serves if at least one is a dairy food with extra calcium added, such as calcium-fortified milk. Source for RDIs: National Health and Medical Research Council (2006)
Calcium - Are Kids Getting Enough?
The period of rapid bone growth is often a time when many children do not consume enough calcium.
Considering the key role that calcium plays in the growth and development of strong and healthy bones, it is of concern that many children do not appear to be consuming enough dairy foods or other calcium-rich foods to meet their RDI.
Dietary behaviours such as adequate milk and calcium intake developed in childhood are known to persist into adulthood, so it is extremely important that healthy eating patterns are established as early in life as possible. Both home and school can play a useful role in achieving this.
Dairy - A Total Bone Health Package
As well as calcium, milk, cheese and yogurt provide a number of other important bone-building nutrients, such as protein, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and zinc.
Protein
Adequate protein intake is essential for bone health. Protein is needed for the achievement of optimum bone mass during childhood and adolescence, and for the preservation of bone mass as we age. Protein comes from milk, cheese, yogurt, meat and other animal sources. Protein can also be obtained from legumes, grains, nuts and vegetables.
Phosphorus
Phosphorus is as important for bone health as calcium but, unlike calcium, diets are rarely lacking in phosphorus. It is also essential for the formation and maintenance of strong bones. Eighty-five per cent of phosphorus is contained within the skeleton - where it acts as a partner with calcium in the mineral structure of bones. Dairy foods, such as milk, cheese and yogurt, have an ideal calcium to phosphorus ratio of 1:1. The main foods supplying phosphorus are dairy foods, cereal products and meat.
Potassium
Although we don't often hear about the mineral potassium for bone health, some emerging evidence suggests a positive link. Potassium can decrease acidity in the body. With less acidity, there is less calcium lost in the urine, so more stays in the body to help make bones stronger.
Potassium can be found in milk, cheese and yogurt, as well as vegetables, nuts, fruit, meat and cereal products.
Magnesium
Magnesium plays an important role in calcium and bone metabolism. It helps to control calcium levels in bone and provides structure for bones. Two-thirds of magnesium in the body is found in the skeleton. Magnesium is found in a wide variety of foods - including dairy foods, cereal products and vegetables.
Zinc
Zinc is also important for forming strong bones, as it helps with the natural breaking down of old bone and replacement of new bone (ie. bone turnover). Children, adolescents and adults in Australia obtain most of their zinc from dairy foods and meat, with moderate amounts supplied by bread.
Now go to Dairy - 3 Serves.