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Agenda:

Bellringer: Reading Food Labels

Fill in food and exercise journal
Go through slides

Objective:Students will understand the importance of Vitamin D and calcium and where to find in foods

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Bellringer:Reading Food Labels

Calories per serving
Total calories in 2 servings
Good source of fiber
Total Fat
Added Sugar

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WHY ARE CALCIUM AND VITAMIN D IMPORTANT?

Calcium + Vitamin D = Teammates

Control Muscle Contractions
Maintain and Build Strong Bones
Prevent Fractures

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Slide 3: Why Are Calcium and Vitamin D Important?

a. Distribute “No Bones About It...Calcium & Vitamin D Count” worksheet to

students to fill in as you discuss the lesson topic. If using the workbooks, instruct

students to turn to page 16 (if using the 8-lesson series) or page 15 (if using the

5-lesson series).

b. Ask students why they think it is important to consume calcium in their diets.

Discuss all reasonable answers.

c. Think of calcium and vitamin D as teammates. They work together to get the job

done. Vitamin D pulls the calcium that we eat from our digestive tract into the

blood stream and takes it where it is needed.

d. In the muscles, calcium helps to control muscle contractions. Tell students to

think about all of the muscles that need to contract to pick up a pencil or

something heavier. Let them know that their heart also needs calcium in order to

produce strong contractions that pump blood throughout the body.

e. In the bones, calcium maintains and builds strong bones throughout life.

f. Without enough calcium and vitamin D, it is more likely that bone will fracture if

bone strength decreases.

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BUILDING AND MAINTAINING BONES

Bones are living organs
Calcium deposited and withdrawn daily
Bone mass begins to decline around 30 years of age
Calcium in < Calcium Out =

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Slide 4: Building and Maintaining Bones

a. May use a visual, such as Life/form® Nutrition & Bone Health 3-D Teaching kit,

when explaining.

b. Our bones are living organs. Calcium is deposited and withdrawn from bone

daily. If the body removes more calcium from the bones than it replaces, they

become weaker and more likely to break.

c. Half of the adult skeleton is formed during adolescence. It is important during

this time to get needed calcium and vitamin D so that the bones can store

sufficient calcium for your older years.

Drexel University, HS Calcium & Vitamin D Lesson Plan, Eval, revised 4/19/2021, Page 3

d. Around 30 years of age our bones aren’t able to store as much calcium. By the

time we reach our mid-30’s, bone mass begins to slowly decline.

e. By consuming adequate calcium throughout your life, you help to prevent bone

from becoming weak. If calcium intake is less than calcium being used by the

body, bones may weaken, increasing the risk of fractures.

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WHAT IS OSTEOPOROSIS?

Weakening of Bone
Brittle
Does Not Discriminate
Preventable!

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PREVENTION

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Osteoporosis Prevention

Calcium

Vitamin D

Weight-

Bearing Exercise

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WHAT’S THE RECOMMENDATION FOR CALCIUM?

Age Dependent
1300 mg (14-18 years old)

Why does this age group need the most calcium?

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Growth Spurt

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CALCIUM SOURCES

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Slide 8: Calcium Sources-Dairy Group

a. MyPlate recommends that individuals consume 3 cups of Dairy per day. Foods in

the Dairy group, such as yogurt, cheese, and milk are typically high in calcium.

b. Provide students with examples of a cup of dairy: 1 cup low-fat or fat-free milk

(299 mg), 1 cup fortified soy beverage(299 mg), 1 cup low-fat or fat-free yogurt

(415 mg), 1.5oz. natural cheese (307 mg), 2oz. processed cheese (324 mg), 2 cups

low-fat cottage cheese (411 mg).

c. Dairy foods or products themselves can contain saturated fat, so make sure you

are choosing low-fat or fat-free versions like low-fat yogurt, 1% or fat-free (skim)

milk, and low-fat cheese.

d. Choosing dairy foods that are not fat-free or low-fat or that contain added sugar

(flavored milk, flavored yogurt) will contribute to your daily limit of calories from

Drexel University, HS Calcium & Vitamin D Lesson Plan, Eval, revised 4/19/2021, Page 4

saturated fat and added sugars. Choose dairy foods wisely to stay within those

limits. Remind students that we should consume less than 10% of daily calories

from saturated fat and less than 10% from added sugars.

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CALCIUM SOURCES

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CALCIUM SOURCES

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VITAMIN D- WHY & HOW MUCH?

Needed to absorb Calcium
Bone formation and mineralization
70 and under- 15 mcg/day
Reduce Fractures

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VITAMIN D SOURCES

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Vitamin D and the Sun

Latitude

Season

Length of day

Time of Day

Slide 12: Good Sources of Vitamin D

a. Ask students, “What are some good sources of vitamin D?”

b. The easiest way to get vitamin D is by drinking milk, which is fortified with

vitamin D. Other ways to get vitamin D are from fortified cereals, fortified

orange juice, fortified soy beverages, cold saltwater fish (salmon, halibut,

herring, tuna, oysters, shrimp), and multi-vitamin and mineral (MVM)

supplements.

Drexel University, HS Calcium & Vitamin D Lesson Plan, Eval, revised 4/19/2021, Page 5

c. Vitamin D can also be obtained from sunlight. Vitamin D is synthesized in the

skin following direct exposure to sun. Ten to fifteen minutes of exposure 2-3

times per week may be sufficient.

i. Certain factors such as season, time of day, length of day, or even latitude

can affect the body’s ability to make vitamin D.

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CHECK FOR CALCIUM ON FOOD LABELS!

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The food label will list:

mg of Calcium
mcg of Vitamin D
% Daily Value

Aim for 100% DV for each nutrient throughout the day.

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ARE YOU LACTOSE INTOLERANT?

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Body cannot break down lactose
Individualized
Not ALL dairy foods are created equal

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TIPS THAT MAY HELP WHEN EATING DAIRY

Start with smaller portions
Eat dairy in combination with meals
Try dairy foods other than milk
Lactose-reduced milk or Fortified-Milk Alternatives

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Make instant hot cocoa with milk

Try chocolate milk.

Serve milk-based desserts (puddings, tapioca, frozen yogurt, custard, ice cream). Limit fat and sugar.

Don’t Like Drinking a Glass of Milk?

Top baked potatoes with plain yogurt; sprinkle with chives

Enjoy plain or flavored low fat yogurt or make a fruit & yogurt parfait

Use flavored yogurt as a fruit salad dressing; experiment with substituting plain yogurt for some or all of the sour cream in vegetable salad dressings

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MILK ALTERNATIVES

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Milk Variety	Calories	Total Fat (g)	Protein (g)	Calcium (mg)	Vitamin D (mcg)
Whole Milk	150	8	8	300	2.5
2% Milk	130	5	8	300	2.5
1% Milk	110	2.5	8	300	2.5
Non-Fat Milk (Skim)	90	0	8	300	2.5
Soy, Original	110	4.5	8	450	3
Almond (Unsweetened)	30	2.5	1	450	2.5
Cashew (Unsweetened)	25	2	<1	450	2.5
Rice, Original (Enriched)	120	2.5	1	300	2.5
Coconut (Unsweetened)	45	4.5	0	100	3
Hemp (Unsweetened)	70	5	3	300	3

Slide 17: Milk Alternatives

Drexel University, HS Calcium & Vitamin D Lesson Plan, Eval, revised 4/19/2021, Page 6

a. Tell students that there are several alternatives for an individual who may not

drink cow’s milk.

b. Mention that although the option of different alternatives is available, not all

milks are created equal. Tell students that some milk alternatives may have

“Enriched” on the label. This would indicate that vitamins and minerals have

been added to the product to enhance nutritional value.

c. Review the different alternatives and be sure to point out differences in calories,

protein, calcium, and vitamin D. Tell students that the information on the table is

for one 8 oz. serving.

d. Remind students that reading the food label is the best way to be informed about

what they are consuming.

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EATING CALCIUM AT EVERY MEAL

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Breakfast

Calcium- fortified

orange juice 300mg

Granola bar 150mg

Lunch

Cheese 300mg

Chocolate milk 300mg

Dinner

Spinach 123mg

Mac and cheese 300mg

Breakfast

Granola bar and 6oz. calcium fortified 100% juice

Lunch

Turkey, lettuce, tomato and cheese on whole wheat roll

Low-fat chocolate milk

Dinner

Grilled chicken, ½ c spinach salad and ¾ c macaroni and cheese

Total Calcium:

1473 mg

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KEEP YOUR BONES STRONG

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Calcium and vitamin D are needed for strong bones, teeth, and muscle contractions.

Eat a healthy diet with plenty of foods high in calcium and vitamin D.

Engage in regular bone-strengthening�exercise.

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ACTIVITY- �ARE YOU GETTING ENOUGH CALCIUM?

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Complete the worksheet to see if you are getting enough calcium in your diet.

If you’re not getting enough, how could you increase your calcium intake to meet the recommended amount?

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QUESTIONS

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