NEW CASTLE — We all know that consuming dairy products is a great way to get calcium into your diet.

Making them fat-free also impacts your heart health. Milk, ice cream, Cottage cheese, Swiss cheese, American cheese, Mozzarella cheese and yogurt all contain around 100 mg of calcium per serving.

A friend of mine recently asked me for advice about how to use food to help her diagnosis of osteopenia, an early stage of osteoporosis. National Osteoporosis Month isn’t until May. However, we really need to consider every month osteoporosis month because it is so important to make a difference in your lifestyle to avert this bone-diminishing disease.

So, besides dairy, here is a list of nondairy products that are rich in calcium to add to your diet:

•Broccoli

•Kale

•Turnip greens

•Spinach

•Beets

•Carrots

•Celery

•Eggplant

•Mustard greens

•Tomatoes

Yes, there is also calcium in fruit. Remember to include apples, oranges, bananas, strawberries, and apricots. Also, remember to add a handful of almonds to your diet.

Other foods rich in calcium include: Soybeans, white beans, sardines, eggs, and chickpeas.

Here’s a great tip: when reading labels, you can look at any label and assess how much calcium is in the product. Drop the percent sign and add a zero in its place. For example, if something has 15 percent calcium it is 150 mg of calcium per serving. Note: this only works for calcium.

As a guideline when reading labels, the Daily Value for calcium is 1,000 mg for adults and children aged 4 years and older. Foods providing 20 percent or more of the DV are considered to be high sources of a nutrient.

Maintaining bone health also requires that you get weight-bearing exercise into your daily routine. Strength training, such as with stretch bands, is very helpful. Light walking in well-cushioned shoes is also helpful.

Calcium supplements can be useful, check with your nutritionist or doctor to determine if your diet needs a calcium boost. It is important to note that you can only absorb 600 mg of calcium at one time. So space out supplements at least four to six hours apart.

Jameson’s HOPE class which targets osteoperosis will be offered this Spring. Call Jameson’s Staff and Community Education office (724) 656-4270.



Apple Cupcakes

with Cinnamon-

Marshmallow Frosting



Makes 12 Cupcakes

Cupcakes:

• 1 1/2 cup shredded, peeled apples
• 1/2 cup diced dried apples
• 3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar, plus 1/2 cup divided
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided
• 1/3 cup apple sauce
• 2 large eggs, or equivalent egg substitute
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
• 3/4 cup cake flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup nonfat buttermilk

Frosting:

• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 4 teaspoons dried egg whites, reconstituted according to package directions (equivalent to 2 egg whites), look for “Just Whites” in the baking aisle
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• Pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more for garnish

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 12 (1/2 cup) muffin cups with cupcake liners or coat with cooking spray.

Combine shredded and dried apples in a bowl with 3 tablespoons brown sugar and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon. Set aside. Beat apple sauce and remaining 3/4 cup brown sugar in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium, then beat in eggs or egg substitute until combined. Add vanilla, increase speed to high and beat for 1 minute.

Whisk whole-wheat flour, cake flour, baking soda, salt and the remaining 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon in a medium bowl.

With mixer on low speed, alternately add the dry ingredients and buttermilk to the batter, starting and ending with dry ingredients and scraping the sides of the bowl as needed, until just combined. Stir in the reserved apple mixture until just combined. Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups. (The cups will be full.)

Bake the cupcakes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 20 to 22 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before frosting.

To prepare frosting: bring 2 inches of water to a simmer in the bottom of a double boiler. Combine 1 cup brown sugar and 1/4 cup water in the top of the double boiler. Heat over the simmering water, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved, 2 to 3 minutes. Add constituted egg whites, cream of tartar and pinch of salt. Beat with an electric mixer on high speed until the mixture is glossy and thick, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove to the top pan from the heat and continue beating for 1 minute more to cool. Add vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and beat on low just to combine. Spread or pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes and sprinkle cinnamon on top, if desired.

NOTE: Dried egg whites are pasteurized so they are good for using in an uncooked meringue.