Cheese - calcium

helenbenzie75
helenbenzie75 Posts: 95 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hi all,

So I've recently been told that I have a calcium deficiency and looking back at my daily I really don't get enough (I have milk but don't really like cheese or yoghurt).

Anyway I've just purchased some reduced fat salad cheese to have on a salad but when I scan it it states that there is no calcium. Is there anyway I can find this out? I've searched for the product online but it doesn't give me this info either.

Thanks in advance

Replies

  • bpetrosky
    bpetrosky Posts: 3,911 Member
    What does the label say?
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    The items in the database are largely user created and thus prone to errors. If you can’t find an entry that includes calcium, create one yourself.
  • pinuplove
    pinuplove Posts: 12,871 Member
    edited June 2018
    It's probably picking up a bad database entry when you scan. Either look for a better match in the database or create your own entry using the label information. If it's not listed on the label, I'd question the product.

    And eat real cheese. I don't know exactly what reduced fat salad cheese is, but it sounds sort of awful :grimace: There are lots of dietary sources of calcium to choose from https://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines/appendix-11/ Supplementation is also an option. If you've been diagnosed with a deficiency by your doctor, they should have discussed your options.
  • BecMarty14
    BecMarty14 Posts: 351 Member
    Something I do is put spinach, kale and / or broccoli in a blender with a few kinds of sliced fruit (like strawberries and bananas) and Greek yogurt (no sugar added). I like to add coconut water, Metamucil and chia seeds also. My smoothie is my way of filling in potential gaps in my nutrition.
    Perhaps you wouldn't mind yogurt so much in a smoothie. The spinach, kale and broccoli also provide calcium.
  • Diatonic12
    Diatonic12 Posts: 32,344 Member
    Try some 2% or 4% cheese or FF yogurt. 1000-1200 calcium mg aday is recommended. I like siggi's yogurt. 200 mg in 4.4-5 oz serving.

    "Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that may help prevent osteoporosis, some types of cancer and diabetes. In addition to milk, cheese, fish and eggs, fortified yogurt with vitamin D is one of the few food sources of this vitamin. Since vitamin D is fat-soluble, absorption is increased when you consume it with some fat, such as the fat in low-fat yogurt. Not all yogurts have added vitamin D, so look for the vitamin D percentage at the bottom of the nutrition facts label or skim the ingredients for vitamin D-3. Some yogurts also have up to 25 percent of the daily value of calcium or about 250 milligrams per serving. Absorption of calcium is increased when vitamin D is present. Calcium is important for strong bones and teeth, blood pressure control and muscle and nerve function."

    Office of Dietary Supplements and National Institutes of Health -- Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Vitamin D
    Office of Dietary Supplements and National Institutes of Health -- Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Calcium
    USDA: National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 24 -- Vitamin D (D2 + D3) (µg) Content of Selected Foods per Common Measure, Sorted by Nutrient Content
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    Rocbola wrote: »
    You are best off adding calcium to your diet through greens, not cheese.

    Why?
  • emmamcgarity
    emmamcgarity Posts: 1,594 Member
    My personal goal is to get 2-3 servings of dairy per day. I like some yogurts but not greek. The texture is weird to me. So, I often have sliced strawberries mixed with vanilla (non-greek) yogurt for breakfast. But most days I just drink a glass of skim milk with my breakfast and another before bedtime. I've toyed with the idea of making myself a latte in the morning to sneak in more dairy. Sometimes I'll mix some sugar free pudding mix with fat free milk to make it a bit more fun.

    As much as I don't like the texture of greek yogurt, I have been working to fit it into recipes for the extra protein. I did find it to be a good substitute for sour cream on a baked potato. I also mixed some greek yogurt with parmesan cheese and seasonings and slathered it over boneless chicken for a nice baked dinner dish.
  • ursula130
    ursula130 Posts: 47 Member
    Collards and kale as example, dark green leafy veggies as well as fortified foods. Doesn't have to be milk products.
  • nooshi713
    nooshi713 Posts: 4,877 Member
    edited June 2018
    I really believe the body absorbs nutrients better from real food than from vitamins. Most servings of cheese I have seen labels for have no more than 15-20% daily values for calcium per serving.

    Aside, a dermatologist suggested I cut out dairy once, so I did for a few months. I had the worst bone and joint pain. Blood work showed that I was calcium deficient despite my drinking fortified almond and soy milks. Once I went back to dairy milk, the problem went away. I am a big dairy fan. It is big in my culture and none of my older family members have osteoporosis that I know of. Vitamin D is necessary too.
  • VUA21
    VUA21 Posts: 2,072 Member
    Dark leafy greens, broccoli, brussel sprouts, great beans, and sweet potatoes are all veggies that are high in calcium. Increasing these will also help for a calcium deficiency.
  • MikePfirrman
    MikePfirrman Posts: 3,307 Member
    edited June 2018
    https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/vitamin-k2#section2

    Most people in the US get plenty of calcium. Taking Vitamin D on top of it (without Vitamin K2) is a recipe for disaster for your arteries ("calcification of arteries" -- there's a reason for that term). We got plenty of it (Vit K2) historically in our ancestors diets, practically none today. It's why (as a country) our bone health is so bad but we eat 2nd most cheese in the world (only behind France). Vitamin K2 used to be plentiful in grass fed meats and hard cheeses that were grass fed and things like head meats. I know I don't eat a lot of these things and most in the US don't. NK-7 is the best variety of it (from Nattokinase). Not the same as Vitamin K, totally different.

    The discovery that Vit K2 puts calcium in the right places in your body has just come in the past five/ten years. People still don't understand it. Vit D helps your body absorb Calcium (that's true). Also magnesium is complimentary too. But Vitamin K2 tells your body where to store it, in the bones and not in the arteries.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    MikePfirrman wrote: »
    https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/vitamin-k2#section2

    Most people in the US get plenty of calcium. Taking Vitamin D on top of it (without Vitamin K2) is a recipe for disaster for your arteries. We got plenty of it (Vit K2) historically in our ancestors diets, practically none today. It's why (as a country) our bone health is so bad but we eat 2nd most cheese in the world (only behind France). Vitamin K2 used to be plentiful in grass fed meats and hard cheeses that were grass fed and things like head meats. I know I don't eat a lot of these things and most in the US don't. NK-7 is the best variety of it (from Nattokinase). Not the same as Vitamin K, totally different.

    Even if "most people" get plenty of it, OP says they have a diagnosed deficiency. Why is this relevant to their situation?
  • MikePfirrman
    MikePfirrman Posts: 3,307 Member
    edited June 2018
    janejellyroll wrote: »
    MikePfirrman wrote: »
    https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/vitamin-k2#section2

    Most people in the US get plenty of calcium. Taking Vitamin D on top of it (without Vitamin K2) is a recipe for disaster for your arteries. We got plenty of it (Vit K2) historically in our ancestors diets, practically none today. It's why (as a country) our bone health is so bad but we eat 2nd most cheese in the world (only behind France). Vitamin K2 used to be plentiful in grass fed meats and hard cheeses that were grass fed and things like head meats. I know I don't eat a lot of these things and most in the US don't. NK-7 is the best variety of it (from Nattokinase). Not the same as Vitamin K, totally different.

    Even if "most people" get plenty of it, OP says they have a diagnosed deficiency. Why is this relevant to their situation?

    Because it's likely she's not getting enough Magnesium and Vitamin D, which are complimentary. If she does, Vit K2 is also complimentary as well. Why didn't you question the person that said to take Vit D?? Seems you take issue with everything that I say for some reason. I know you feel as if this forum belongs to you and no one else but my comment was as pertinent as others.
  • WholeFoods4Lyfe
    WholeFoods4Lyfe Posts: 1,518 Member
    With a diagnosed deficiency, you are going to have an extremely difficult time remedying that deficiency through food. This is really the time that you should be taking a high dose supplement (under the direction of a physician) to increase your calcium stores while simultaneously increase the amount of calcium that you consume through food.
  • WholeFoods4Lyfe
    WholeFoods4Lyfe Posts: 1,518 Member
    livmae14 wrote: »
    malibu927 wrote: »
    Rocbola wrote: »
    You are best off adding calcium to your diet through greens, not cheese.

    Why?

    Animal based calcium is acidic to the body and actually leaches calcium from the bones causing osteoporosis. Plant based calcium is absorbed by the body more easily and is alkaline in the body. Plus dairy is nasty and SCARY.

    Um. No. That is not how bone remodeling works.

    And while I agree that conventional dairy (grain fed cattle living in a CAFO) is pretty awful, dairy in and of itself is not inherently bad.
  • peaceout_aly
    peaceout_aly Posts: 2,018 Member
    helenbenzie75 wrote: »
    Hi all,

    So I've recently been told that I have a calcium deficiency and looking back at my daily I really don't get enough (I have milk but don't really like cheese or yoghurt).

    Anyway I've just purchased some reduced fat salad cheese to have on a salad but when I scan it it states that there is no calcium. Is there anyway I can find this out? I've searched for the product online but it doesn't give me this info either.

    Thanks in advance

    Cheese itself won't fix a calcium deficiency. Definitely look into supplemental gummies or vitamins of some sort. As for the discrepancy, a lot of stuff is added by users and is not able to be edited. Search the brand and item name or barcode and click around until you find one with all nutritional information input. Or add it yourself into the database.
  • live2dream
    live2dream Posts: 614 Member
    We are the only mammals on earth who drink growth fluid for a baby cow. It's definitely not a natural part of the human diet. Greens will give you the calcium you need. Also, make sure you are not drinking coffee or other foods that inhibit calcium absorption. Vitamin C helps absorb the calcium in the greens. So if you have a smoothie, add orange juice for vitamin c and calcium, and spinach or kale or other greens for even more calcium. Also almonds, beans, blackstrap molasses, and soy are great source of calcium.
  • WholeFoods4Lyfe
    WholeFoods4Lyfe Posts: 1,518 Member
    live2dream wrote: »
    We are the only mammals on earth who drink growth fluid for a baby cow. It's definitely not a natural part of the human diet. Greens will give you the calcium you need. Also, make sure you are not drinking coffee or other foods that inhibit calcium absorption. Vitamin C helps absorb the calcium in the greens. So if you have a smoothie, add orange juice for vitamin c and calcium, and spinach or kale or other greens for even more calcium. Also almonds, beans, blackstrap molasses, and soy are great source of calcium.

    And? We are also the only mammals on earth that cook our food. Make and eat candy. Drink coffee.

    And for the record, some leafy greens, like spinach, contain oxalic acid which actually inhibits the absorbtion of calcium from the exact food you are eating to try to get calcium. Not all, but some. So, yes, it is true that some foods do essentially block some of the calcium, but that doesn't mean that you shouldn't consume them either apart or together. If your diet is rich in calcium from various sources you will absorb what you need.
  • Cbean08
    Cbean08 Posts: 1,092 Member
    live2dream wrote: »
    We are the only mammals on earth who drink growth fluid for a baby cow. It's definitely not a natural part of the human diet. Greens will give you the calcium you need. Also, make sure you are not drinking coffee or other foods that inhibit calcium absorption. Vitamin C helps absorb the calcium in the greens. So if you have a smoothie, add orange juice for vitamin c and calcium, and spinach or kale or other greens for even more calcium. Also almonds, beans, blackstrap molasses, and soy are great source of calcium.

    But whoever heard of breast milk.... Milk and dairy are a part of a natural human diet. Yes we don't make all the dairy we consume from human breast milk, but animals cross paths too with their milk consumption, like if 1 type of animal takes in another species and feeds it and raises it.

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