Calcium and Weight Loss
Published on Dec 6th, 2007 in Nutrition, Weight Loss with
“Milk: It does a body good.”
This advertisement slogan might have been promoting more than they bargained for, but in a good way!
Calcium, the main mineral in milk, touted for its bone strengthening powers, is also a superhero when it comes to fat loss.
Calcium can help you lose weight and get leaner by:
- increasing your metabolism
- helping your body burn stored fat
- preventing fat storage in the first place
By eating foods high in calcium 3-4 times a day it’s possible to burn up to 100 more fat calories. That could equal 10 pounds a year!
In fact, if you didn’t change anything else in your diet or exercise program, except for adding more calcium-rich foods, you could still lose some body fat! But if you add regular exercise and keep your diet clean, you’ll lose a ton more - plus, do a wealth of good for your overall health!
Other great things about calcium: It is relatively inexpensive, easy to find, and it doesn’t give you those unpleasant side affects that many weight loss supplements do (Can we say heart palpitations, hypertension, gas, loose stools, among other lovely reactions).
Many dietitians recommend most adults consume at least 1000mg of calcium a day.
Where to find the calcium:
- 1 Cup Nonfat Yogurt – 400-450 mg
- 1 Cup Soy Milk – 250-300 mg
- 1 Cup Skim Milk – 300 mg
- 1 Slice (1 oz) Swiss Cheese – 250 mg
- ½ Cup Ricotta Cheese – 337 mg
- ½ Cup Fortified Orange Juice – 300 mg
- 1 Cup 1% Cottage Cheese – 150 mg
- ½ Cup Silken Raw Tofu – 30 mg
- 1 Cup Cooked Rhubarb – 348 mg
- 1 Cup Baked Beans – 140mg
You can get your calcium from supplements, but for the benefits to be most effective, eat actual dairy foods.
Photo credit: obr sandro
