Vitamin D and Calcium
Calcium and Vitamin D help to build strong bones, help with portions of muscle movement and help nerves carry messages between brain and body. Vitamin D also helps boost the immune system.
- We get our calcium from foods that we eat. These foods can be dairy or nondairy forms of calcium.
- Calcium absorption is blocked by high phosphorous diets (large amounts of meat, soda), increased caffeine, cigarette smoking, low estrogen levels (adolescent girls), low Vitamin D levels.
- Although we can get some Vitamin D from fatty fish and fortified foods, most of our Vitamin D comes from sunlight..
- The sunlight has to be direct. This means that it cannot be sunlight through a window, cloudy or shady areas. Sunblock and darker skins also repel most of the sunlight..
| Age | Daily Recommended Intake |
|---|---|
| 0-12 months | 400 IU |
| 1-3 years | 800 IU |
| 4-18 years | 1000-2000 IU |
| Age | Fiber (grams) |
|---|---|
| Greater than 5 months | 200 mg |
| 6-11 months | 260 mg |
| 1-3 years | 700 mg |
| 4-8 years | 1000 mg |
| 9-18 years | 1300 mg |
Dietray Sources of Vitamin D
| Food | International Units per Serving | Food | International Units per Serving |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cod Liver Oil (1 tbsp) | 1360 IU | Egg (yolk) (1 large) | 41 IU |
| Swordfish, cooked (3 oz) | 566 IU | Cheddar Cheese (1.5 oz) | 10 IU |
| Salmon (sockeye), cooked (3 oz) | 447 IU | Milk, vitamin D fortified (1 cup) | 115-124 IU |
| Tuna fish, canned in water, drained (3 oz) | 1360 IU | Orange Juice, vitamin D fortified (1 cup) | 41 IU |
Dietary Sources of Calcium
| Food | Milligrams per Serving | Food | Milligrams per Serving |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milk (8 oz) | 300 mg | Almond butter (2 tbsp) | 90 mg |
| Bok Choy (1 cup) | 150 mg | Fish (3 oz) | 100-175 mg |
| Turnip Greens (1 cup) | 200 mg | Yogurt (8 oz) | 400 mg |
| Cheese (1 oz) | 200 mg | Navy Beans (1 cup) | 125 mg |
| Spinach (1/2 cup) | 120 mg | Soy Beans (1 cup) | 175 mg |
| Almonds (1/4 cup) | 90 mg | Navy Beans (1 cup) | 125 mg |
| Broccoli (1 cup) | 100-140 mg | Ice Cream (8 oz) | 275 mg |