Check out this easy Pumpkin Curry Soup recipe.
The easiest way to help your family get enough calcium is to serve milk, yogurt, or cheese with meals. But don’t worry if some family members don’t like dairy, there are other foods with calcium and it’s easy to add dairy while cooking.
Prenatal supplements don’t contain all the calcium you need. Women who don’t get 4 servings of calcium-rich foods daily are at a greater risk for problems during pregnancy like pre-eclampsia and high blood pressure. Ask your healthcare provider about a calcium supplement.
Even if lactose intolerance is an issue, it doesn’t mean dairy is a no-go. Cheese has smaller amounts of lactose and fermented milk products like yogurt and kefir are easier to digest. Many brands of milk also have a lactose-free version.
Strong bones, happy homes! Whether it’s a glass of milk, a slice of cheese, or a spoonful of yogurt, getting enough calcium is easy when the whole family’s in on it.
Let’s raise our forks (and glasses) to healthy, calcium-packed meals—one bite at a time!
Author: Bridget Swinney MS, RDN, LD
Nestle Carnation. Pumpkin Curry Soup.
https://www.verybestbaking.com/carnation/recipes/pumpkin-curry-soup/
Calcium Fact Sheet for Health Professionals, National Institutes of Health
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Calcium-HealthProfessional/
Zhang X, et al. Milk consumption and multiple health outcomes: umbrella review of
systematic reviews and meta-analyses in humans. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2021; 18: 7.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7789627/
GJ Hoffmeyr et al. Pregnancy Hypertens. 2021 Mar; 23: 91–96.
Low dietary calcium is associated with the hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, and evidence suggests that the risks associated with pre-eclampsia are reduced by calcium supplementation. Low dietary calcium intake is also associated with hypertension in the non-pregnant population.
Hofmeyr GJ, Seuc A, Betrán AP, Cormick G, Singata M, Fawcus S, Mose S, Frank K, Hall D, Belizán J, Roberts JM, Magee LA, von Dadelszen P; Calcium, Pre-eclampsia Study Group. The effect of calcium supplementation on blood pressure in non-pregnant women with previous pre-eclampsia: A randomized placebo-controlled study. Pregnancy Hypertens. 2021 Mar;23:91-96. doi: 10.1016/j.preghy.2020.11.012. Epub 2020 Dec 3. PMID: 33302116; PMCID: PMC7910271.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7910271/
Perry, A. et al. BMJ Nutr Prev Health. 2022; 5(1): 118–133.
Low calcium intake decreases plasma calcium concentration leading to activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS). Activation of the RAAS stimulates the release of parathyroid hormone and parathyroid hypertensive factor and the release of calcitriol. This results in increased calcium concentration in the vascular smooth muscle cell causing vasoconstriction and results in high BP.
88 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9237898/
WIC Food Packages Regulatory Requirements
https://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/food-packages/regulatory-requirements