Calcium, a mineral, is used for building bones and maintaining bone strength.  Calcium Quest taught students the importance of calcium and how to get it in your diet.       

       Strong, dense bones are important because they don’t break easily, and you need a lot of calcium to get them. Brittle bones, which are low in calcium, will break easily and lead to osteoporosis, a condition in which bones become brittle and fragile from loss of tissue.

       Seventy-five percent of calcium comes from dairy products.  To get calcium, we taught students to remember the “3-A-Day." Remembering to have a serving of milk, cheese, and yogurt three times a day will help you to get enough calcium to strengthen bones.  Calcium can also be found in fruits and vegetables, so it’s important to eat these foods as well.

     Some drinks can actually rob your bones of calcium.  Soda doesn’t have calcium, vitamins, or protein, and by removing calcium from your bones, it makes them brittle.  Water doesn’t have any calcium either, but it doesn’t rob your bones of calcium and you need it to keep your body hydrated.

     The overall message of Calcium Quest was that strong bones are important to be able to play, do sports, run, and stand up straight.

So be sure to get your calcium!