Calcium and Healthy Bones
Why is calcium so important?
Did you know that 99% of your body's calcium is stored in your bones and teeth? This calcium makes up your bone bank. Calcium is "deposited" and "withdrawn" from your bone bank daily, based on your body's need for calcium. If your daily diet is low in calcium, calcium is "withdrawn" from your bone bank. Bone is broken down to keep your blood calcium level normal. This happens because calcium plays a critical role in supporting your body's vital functions; such as controlling your blood pressure and maintaining your heart beat.
How much calcium is recommended each day?
To promote strong bones throughout life, it is recommended that everyone, including pregnant or breastfeeding women, consume the following daily calcium intakes (to include dietary calcium plus any calcium supplement taken).
| Age (years) | Calcium (mg*/day) |
|---|---|
| *mg = milligrams (Dietary Reference Intakes, National Academy of Science, 1997) |
|
| 1 - 3 | 500 mg |
| 4 - 8 | 800 mg |
| 9 - 18 | 1300 mg |
| 19 - 50 | 1000 mg |
| 51 or older | 1200 mg |
If you consume more calcium than recommended, there is no proof that it will benefit your bones. However, your medical professional may suggest slightly more calcium for some individuals with certain medical conditions. It is important not to consume more than 2500mg of calcium per day; high calcium intakes on a regular basis may be harmful. The adverse effects of excessive calcium intake may include high blood calcium levels, kidney complications and kidney stone formation.
Your body uses calcium best when it is spread out over the day. For best absorption, most experts recommend consuming 500mg of calcium or less at one time. It is wise to include a food containing calcium at each meal or snack. Food sources of calcium may be preferable; however, if you are unable to get enough calcium from food alone, speak to your medical professional about taking a calcium supplement. See "Commonly Asked Questions About Calcium Supplements".
How can I get enough calcium?
There are many easy ways to get enough calcium in your diet. Children and adults can get enough calcium by consuming three to four servings of calcium-rich foods daily. During peak bone-building years, teens aged 9 to 18, typically need four to five servings a day. These general guidelines are based on the average serving of a calcium-rich food containing 300 milligrams. The number of servings needed will vary depending upon the calcium content in each serving. The guidelines also take into consideration the fact that young children generally consume smaller portions than the average adult serving.
Calcium-rich foods include dairy products, calcium-rich non-dairy foods and calcium-fortified foods. You can get enough calcium in your diet, even if you are lactose intolerant, allergic to milk or following a strict vegetarian diet. If you have lactose intolerance, you can get enough calcium in your diet either by taking lactase enzyme replacement along with dairy products or by choosing dairy products with lactase enzyme added (for example, Lactaid Milk or Dairy Ease Milk). If you are allergic to milk or following a strict vegetarian diet, you can get enough calcium by choosing non-dairy beverages with calcium added (such as fortified rice milk, fortified soymilk or fortified juice, as well as calcium rich non-dairy foods). By choosing fat-free and low fat foods, your diet will be heart healthy, too! For healthy bones and overall good health, it is recommended to eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables daily.
Examples of Calcium-rich Foods
Dairy Foods
(for overall health, choose fat-free or low fat products)
- Milk
- Yogurt
- Cheese (5 grams fat or less per ounce)
Non-dairy foods
- Chinese cabbage (bok choy), cooked
- Figs, dried
- Greens (dandelion, kale, mustard, turnip), cooked
- Salmon, Sardines, canned with bones
- Soy nuts
Fortified foods
(be sure to select foods with calcium added)
- Breakfast bars, Granola bars, Cereal bars
- Cereal
- Juices
- Soymilk
- Rice milk
- Tofu
- Waffles
Reading food labels for calcium content.
The calcium content of foods varies widely depending upon growing conditions (fruits, vegetables and legumes), brand and the amount of calcium added to fortified foods. Reading the food label is an easy way to find out how much calcium is in one serving of food. It can help you choose foods that contain the calcium you need.
The food label does not list calcium in milligrams. Instead, the label lists % Daily Value (%DV) for calcium in each serving. 100% of the DV for calcium is equal to 1000 mg of calcium per day.
To find the calcium content (mg per serving) from %Daily Value:
- Read the %DV for calcium per serving.
For example: 1 serving (1 ounce) lowfat cheese contains 20% Calcium. - Determine the calcium in each serving (mg/serving): Simply replace the % from the DV with a "0."
For example: 20% Calcium = 200 mg calcium.
Calcium claims on food labels
Many food packages include a claim about the calcium content. Understanding these claims on the label will help you select calcium rich foods.
Terminology & Definitions
A "Calcium-fortified" or "Calcium enriched" food has 10% or more of the calcium DV added (100mg or more of calcium is added when compared to the same serving of a similar type of non-fortified food).
An "Excellent source" of calcium contains 20% or more of the calcium DV (200mg or more).
A "Good source" of calcium contains 10% to 19% of the calcium DV (100 to 190mg).
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(c) Helen Hayes Hospital/NYS Department of Health - 11/03
| The Food Pyramid |
