Greetings,
I hope all is well and that you’re healthy, exercising, and you filed your taxes ;-)
Last night at boot camp, I asked a camper what did they put
in their salad. Amongst numerous types of
veggies she ended with, “Oh, and feta cheese”.
I asked her why the cheese and her response was, “I need to eat cheese
to get calcium.”
She is correct that cheese and other dairy products are good
sources of calcium and protein.
In fact, Matthew Messina, DDS, an American Dental
Association spokesman states, "Cheese
is one of the best foods you can eat for your teeth. It's a good source of calcium, to keep your
teeth strong. Plus, eating cheese can lower the levels of bacteria in your
mouth and keep your teeth clean and cavity-free,"
However besides calcium, what
else is your body absorbing from cheese?
You are correct – fat.
It is a VERY GENEROUS source of SATURATED fat.
The Center for Science in the Public Interest describes
cheese as America's number one source of saturated fat, adding that the
average American ate 30 lb (14 kg) of cheese in the year 2000, up
from 11 lb (5 kg) in 1970.
Imagine if you eliminated or greatly minimized the amount of cheese you
consumed for the remainder of the year.
Will you be 30lbs lighter, 15lbs lighter??
So, since we should be eliminating cheese and other dairy
products from our diet, please tell me some of the healthier options in order to
obtain calcium. I’m glad you asked – here about 20...
Soy Milk
Almond Milk
Hemp Milk
Soy Yogurt
Soy Ice Cream (Tofutti)
Collards
Bok Choy (Tasty)
Butternut Squash
Okra
Kelp
Seaweeds
Broccoli
Tofu
Beans
Quinoa (Great source of protein)
Tahini
Figs
Almonds
Hazelnuts (Great source of healthy fats)
Sesame
Pistachio
Finally but rather important, since calcium is a mineral it
needs an agent in order to be absorbed from the digestive tract. This agent happens to be vitamin D. We receive
vitamin D primarily from 2 sources - produced
in our skin from direct sunlight (about 20 min a day) and/or consumption of
animal proteins such as beef liver. The
choice is yours!
All the best to you on your health and fitness journey!
