Calcium is one of the most important nutrients for improving and maintaining bone health. Calcium is most commonly found in dairy products (milk, yogurt, cheese), so aim for three servings of low-fat or fat-free dairy each day. If you feel like you’ve fallen short on your calcium today, wouldn’t it be incredible if you could get 20 percent of your daily calcium in a dinner that takes less than ten minutes to prepare? Now you can, with Bertolli® Chicken Parmigiana and Penne! This oven bake meal is also high in fiber and contains less than 500 calories — an easy way to help you reach your 1,000 to 1,300 milligrams of recommended calcium.

You may not realize that calcium is also found in a dessert favorite: ice cream! Just one-half cup of Breyers® All Natural Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream meets 10 percent of your recommended daily quota for calcium. That’s 100 milligrams of calcium that you can savor after dinner — just make sure to keep your serving at one-half cup.

As we age, our bodies don’t utilize calcium as well. The good news is calcium doesn’t work alone, and other vitamins and minerals can increase its absorption. Vitamin D, vitamin K, potassium, fluoride and magnesium are all big players in bone health. Nearly all Americans are deficient in the recommended amount of vitamin D, so start small. Vitamin D can be found in three sources: the sun, food and supplements. Being outside for just ten to 15 minutes can help your body produce vitamin D, but if you reside in the Midwest, you may not always be able to soak up the sun. Vitamin D can also be found in fatty fish (mackerel and salmon) and tuna. If you’re looking for more ways to increase fish intake — also good for heart health — try adding Tones® Cajun seasoning to salmon or Tones® celery seed to tuna salad. 

Acquiring enough calcium AND vitamin D may seem hard to do, but many products are now fortified with both. I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!® spread with calcium and vitamin D is an easy way to increase both nutrients in just one Tablespoon, and two servings have as much calcium as one 5-ounce glass of milk! It also has 50 percent less saturated fat than butter and no hydrogenated oils. If you are trying to eat smart, maintain your bone health and ward off osteoporosis, start taking action now. Make sure to consult with your health care provider about your bone density, especially if you are over the age of 50. If you have any questions or would like to contact Whitney, please email her at centsablehealth@farewaystores.com.