Supplement Facts

In 1879, William Thompson, one of the early innovators in the American chocolate industry, founded W.H. Thompson Confectionery in Meriden, Connecticut. As consumer demand for more healthful chocolate products grew, the business branched into three distinct product lines under the name Thompson Brands. Adora Calcium was one of those lines.

Adora Calcium tastes great because of its sweet history. The other two product lines developed by the Thompson Brand are candies. While other calcium supplements are produced by pharmaceutical companies specializing in everything from bandages to baby powder, Adora is made by a small chocolate manufacturer that has been producing quality chocolate products for 129 years! Now that sounds like the kind of supplement all of us need!

Antioxidants
Besides satisfying cravings and tasting delicious, chocolate has surprising health benefits. The secret lies in the very foundation of real chocolate- the cocoa bean. Cocoa plants grow in hot, tropical climates. As a result, the hearty cocoa bean (also called cacao) developed the ability to protect itself from the environment by producing natural chemicals called antioxidants. When we eat chocolate, which is made from the cocoa bean, our body gets the benefits of those natural antioxidants called flavanoids. Flavanoids have been shown to protect the body from the damage that causes heart disease, cancer, many illnesses, and even general aging.*

Chocolate, So Good and So Good for You!
While chocolate is still considered a treat that should be eaten in moderation, there have been many research studies pointing to the positive benefits of cocoa and cocoa products:

• A study in Spain reported that cocoa contained more than 600 chemicals that may help fight cancer and heart disease and could also help strengthen the immune system, fight rheumatism, and alleviate stress.*

• The flavanoids in chocolate help reduce the incidence of blood clotting, a leading cause of heart attacks and strokes.*

• Subjects who drank a cocoa rich drink showed signs of smoother more glowing skin.*

• Research indicates that cocoa is more effective at lowering blood pressure than tea (another great source of antioxidants).*

Chocolate's Feel Good Effects
For many people, the love of chocolate is more than just an appreciation for its sweet taste. Researchers have determined that there are chemicals in chocolate that can elevate mood. One chemical, phenylethylamine (PEA), is even linked to the feeling of falling in love. Could it be true that we really do LOVE chocolate? Many women would agree, especially when experiencing PMS.*

Chocolate Facts
• The average American consumes roughly 11.5 pounds of chocolate annually.

• The medicinal use of chocolate, both as a primary remedy and as a vehicle to deliver other medicines, originated in the New World and diffused to Europe in the mid 1500s.

• The main ingredients in chocolate are chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, cocoa powder, sugar, and milk (only in milk chocolate).

• Cacao is a term often used on chocolate products that indicates the percentage of ingredients that come from the cocoa bean (i.e. chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, and cocoa powder).

• Chocolate is vegetarian-friendly, and dark chocolates are often vegan-friendly.

There is more calcium in the human body than any other mineral. While calcium is best known for its role in building strong bones and teeth, it is essential for many other functions. If the body does not get enough calcium from the daily diet, it will take it from the bones, thus leaving them weak.*

Calcium also:
• Contributes to healthy tooth enamel*
• Aids in muscle contraction (throughout the body and even in the heart)*
• Helps the nervous system communicate*
• Gives strength to the skin and nails*
• Assists in blood clotting*
• Contributes in hormone and enzyme function*

Calcium requirements vary by age as indicated below:

*Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The 2004 Surgeon General's Report on Bone Health and Osteoporosis: What it Means To You.

Women tend to serve as the primary caretakers for their family and friends. The demands on a woman's time are great, but it is essential that all women take time out for their own health.

Adequate calcium intake plays a vital role in all stages of a female's life:

Childhood: Before we are born, our skeleton starts to form, and calcium is rapidly deposited into our growing bones.

The Teen Years: The first effects of womanhood arrive, bringing with them the onset of the menstrual cycle, PMS and the greatest calcium requirements.

Twenties: Bone mass continues to strengthen, but at a slower pace during these child-bearing years.

Thirties: Bone density peaks and begins a slow decline. Pregnancy can put bones at risk.

Forties: The decline of bone strength continues and perimenopause begins.

Fifty+: As the challenges of menopause set in, bone loss begins to accelerate, possibly resulting in osteopenia or osteoporosis.

Seventies+: As bone loss continues to increase into the golden years, the risk of bone fractures increases.

Menstrual Cramps / Cramping
If you are one of the more than 50% of menstruating women who have pain during their period, relief is on the way. While menstrual pain is not always preventable, it can be managed with dietary changes and special care techniques. Before we explore those options, though, let's get to the bottom of exactly why we get cramps. The answer is found in hormone-like substances called prostaglandins. Prostaglandins play a role in the body's inflammation response, and cause the muscles of the uterus to contract.*

Calcium Relieves Period Pain?
Calcium is an essential component of muscle contraction. Without adequate calcium, muscles cramp more easily. This is true regardless of whether you are talking about a calf muscle or a woman's uterine muscle. In addition, low calcium intake is associated with water retention, which can lead to increased menstrual pain. As a result, calcium supplementation is sometimes suggested as both a prevention and treatment for dysmenorrhea (painful menstrual cramping). The general recommendation for treatment (i.e. once the pain has started) is 250-500 mg every four hours for pain relief with a maximum daily intake of 2000 mg of calcium. The overall recommendation for menstrual cramp prevention is to meet your daily calcium requirements through calcium supplementation or high-calcium foods.*

The Dairy Dilemma
While calcium can help menstrual cramping, one of the best sources of this mineral – dairy foods – may actually increase menstrual pain. The prostaglandins mentioned earlier are increased by arachidonic acid, which is often found in dairy products. Reducing or eliminating the intake of milk, cheese, cottage cheese, butter, ice cream and yogurt may decrease prostaglandin production and therefore reduce menstrual cramping. However, by reducing these foods in your diet just before your period, you likely won't get enough calcium. One of the best solutions is to take a calcium supplement with 500-1000 mg of calcium, depending on your daily needs and your diet. You can also consume additional calcium sources such as spinach, kale, broccoli, fortified juices, almonds, or soy products.*

Calcium Requirements during Pregnancy: 1000-1500 mg calcium per day

Calcium during Pregnancy
Pregnancy brings about a whole new level of wonderful and amazing changes to a woman's body, each with its own challenges. Extra attention and care in looking after yourself and your baby means eating healthy foods, participating in gentle exercise, avoiding tobacco and alcohol, and getting plenty of rest.*

Calcium plays an important role for pregnant women because your bones are not only supporting you, but also the added weight of your growing fetus. More importantly, calcium is the main component of your growing baby's tiny bones. Because your baby's calcium demands are high, you should be especially careful about meeting your daily calcium needs to prevent a loss of calcium from your own bones. If your unborn baby isn't getting the calcium it needs, he/she will pull it from your bones to fulfill those needs. The same is true during breastfeeding - you must get ample calcium, or your own bones could suffer.*

Osteoporosis (porous bone) is a major public health threat for 44 million Americans, 80% of whom are female. One out of every two women and one in four men over 50 will have an osteoporosis-related fracture in their lifetime. This represents more than 1.5 million broken bones annually.

Since calcium makes up the majority of bone tissue, healthy bone requires calcium daily. Calcium requirements vary by age and range from 800-1300 mg per day. Incorporating calcium and vitamin D (which helps the body absorb calcium) into your diet throughout your life is one of the best ways to prevent osteoporosis. Dairy products, leafy green vegetables, and calcium supplements are good sources of calcium, while fish, fortified milk and sun exposure are the best sources of vitamin D.

Research indicates that calcium may play a role in a variety of other health conditions including the following:

Weight loss - A high calcium intake may help you lose weight. Calcium deficiency forces the body to secrete hormones that help conserve calcium. These hormones can cause the body's fat cells to go into storage mode. As a result, when you don't get enough calcium, you are actually prone to store more calories as fat. In contrast, high calcium intakes halt those adaptive hormones, enabling the body to store less fat, and ultimately helping the body lose more weight.*

Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) - According to a study published in the American Journal of OB Gyn, subjects consuming calcium supplements (1,200 mg per day) had reduced premenstrual symptoms, including fewer mood swings, food cravings, and less pain, tenderness and bloating.*

Colon Cancer – In several studies calcium intake has been associated with a decreased risk of colon cancer.* The results have been so promising that the FDA is investigating a “health claim”.

Menopause – After menopause, estrogen levels drop dramatically, resulting in greater bone loss. This is one reason that estrogen replacement had become such an important treatment plan for post menopausal women. However, given the increased risk of hormone replacement therapy, many women are opting for other alternatives. By getting enough calcium, a woman can decrease her risk of bone loss and possibly avoid the need for seeking other hormone replacement options.*

High Blood Pressure (Hypertension) – Studies show that individuals who consume larger amounts of calcium tend to have lower blood pressure.* One major study addressing diet’s role in blood pressure is the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) in which participants consumed approximately 1250 mgs of calcium per day.

Is Adora Calcium easy to digest?
Yes. The improved absorption and digestibility is likely due to several factors, including:

• Each creamy chocolate disk is easily chewed, enabling the beginning of digestion from your first bite.*

• The natural fat in these chocolates, along with vitamins D & K (which both need fat present to be absorbed), aid in shuttling the calcium into the body and into the bones.*

• The calcium source is broken down into micro-particles before being mixed into the chocolate, making it easy for the body to absorb.*

Although some studies have indicated that calcium citrate is a more readily-absorbed form of calcium than calcium carbonate, this is generally only true in individuals who do not produce enough stomach acid. For the most part, even those individuals can increase their rate of absorption simply by taking Adora calcium with food (which naturally increases stomach acid production).

I'm watching my weight; can I still eat Adora Calcium?
Yes. Each Adora Calcium disk is only 30 calories and includes 500 mg of calcium. If you tried to get that much calcium from regular food, you would consume far more calories—for example, 500 mg of calcium from 1% milk comes with 176 calories. Furthermore, people who are watching their calories often consume too little calcium, so supplementation is especially important. Finally, studies actually show that calcium supplements may assist with weight loss.*

Does Adora Calcium contain animal products?
This question is a bit tricky. Adora's products are as vegetarian-friendly as possible, but might not meet all the requirements of a strict vegan. However, the vitamin D & vitamin K have been chosen specifically because they come from vegetarian sources.*

I have lactose intolerance; can I still take Adora Calcium?
Yes. Adora Calcium in Dark Chocolate does not contain milk as an ingredient and is therefore suitable for most individuals with lactose intolerance. In fact, we have had consumers tell us that they love the product because their lactose intolerance had previously made it very difficult to get enough calcium. For more information, please visit the Nutrition Information page. PLEASE NOTE: Adora Calcium in Dark Chocolate is made alongside Adora Calcium in Milk Chocolate; as a result, the product could contain traces of milk. Those individuals with severe milk allergies should not consume this product.*

I have celiac disease (gluten intolerance); can I still take Adora Calcium?
As you probably know, gluten is found in grains that include rye, oats, barley and wheat. None of these ingredients are found in either Dark Chocolate or Milk Chocolate Adora Calcium, so you should be able to tolerate this supplement. However, since everyone is different, it is important to introduce new products to your diet slowly and always get your doctor's advice beforehand.*

I have allergies, does Adora Calcium contain allergens?
Allergies and food intolerance issues are extremely individual. Read the list of ingredients if you are allergic to anything you may find in chocolate. PLEASE Note: although nuts are not added to Adora Calcium, it is produced in a factory where nuts are utilized in making other products. Those consumers with severe nut allergies should be cautious.*

How should I store Adora Calcium?
Since Adora Calcium is made from premium chocolate, it maintains optimal taste and texture when stored in a cool, dry location at an ideal temperature of 60-75 degrees Fahrenheit. Storing Adora Calcium in the refrigerator is not recommended, as it can impact the product's consistency, making it harder and potentially causing a harmless whitish coating to occur.*

My Adora Calcium has turned white, is it still safe to eat?
Yes, the product is still perfectly safe to eat. The whitish appearance is a sign that your Adora Calcium may have undergone temperature changes. This is particularly likely if the product has been kept at temperatures greater than 75 degrees Fahrenheit (i.e. in your purse or car). When such a temperature change occurs in chocolate, the fat may separate out, resulting in the whitish appearance that is called “bloom.” The product is still perfectly safe to eat beyond the "best used by" date on the bag.*