Milk

2 Pages 501 Words

Why Milk Matters for Teens

In my opinion, we don't get enough milk at lunch. I usually get 3 or 4 milks at lunch which requires me to spend more money on lunchs. One funny fact is that we have had the same sized milks since elementry school.
Here are some useful facts about calcium and teens.Good nutrition is important for good health and can help protect against many diseases later in life. However, one important nutrient many teens don't get enough of is calcium, found mainly in milk and dairy products and in dark green, leafy vegetables and foods with added calcium. Calcium is a nutrient that helps to make bones and teeth strong and healthy. It is used in building bone mass and also helps to reduce the risk of bone fracture due to osteoporosis, a condition where bones become fragile and can break easily. Accordding to the Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, Females 9-19 years old only get 19% of the milk they need, and males 9-19 years old get 52% of the milk they need.
Our bodies continually remove and replace small amounts of calcium from our bones. If your body removes more calcium than it replaces, your bones will become weaker and have a greater chance of breaking. But by getting the recommended amount of calcium, you can help your bones stay strong.
Teens and young adults, ages 9-18, need more calcium because their bones are growing more than at other times of life. They should have 1,300 mg of calcium per day, or about 3 servings of Milk Group foods daily. One 8-ounce glass of milk has about 300 mg of calcium, so just a few glasses can go a long way towards getting the calcium needed each day.
Low-fat and fat-free milk and dairy products, such as cheese and yogurt, are excellent sources of calcium. In addition to having lots of calcium, milk and dairy products provide other essential nutrients, all necessary for good bone health and development. These include phosphorus, magnesium, and added vitamin D in...