Roadmap to Getting Enough Calcium
Most of us know that calcium is important for bone health, but what foods contain calcium?
How much calcium do we need per day? And what’s the deal with having Vitamin D with your calcium?
Calcium is a mineral that is necessary for strong bones. It is also important for muscle and nerve function, but most of the calcium in your body is used to keep your bones healthy. Bones are constantly broken down and rebuilt. As you get older, your bones start to break down more than they are built up. Meeting your calcium needs throughout your life will keep your bones strong as you age, so when you are older, you are at less risk for significant bone loss (osteopenia and osteoporosis). These conditions can put you at risk of fractures.
How much calcium should I get per day?
For women and men aged 19-50, the recommended daily allowance is 1,000 milligrams. For women 51-70 & 70+, the RDA increases to 1,200 milligrams. Men 51-70 years of age should consume 1,000 milligrams per day & increase to 1200 milligrams when 70+ years of age. Teenagers 14-18 should consume 1,300 milligrams per day.
Great, but what does that actually look like in food?
Dairy products will have the most calcium per serving of any food or drink. If you are lactose intolerant or vegan, you may need to put in a little extra work to get in your daily calcium. Fortified products are also options to meet your daily needs. Some vegetables have calcium, but certain vegetables like spinach have compounds that bind to calcium so less is absorbed.
Here’s a chart listing foods high in calcium. This National Institute of Health chart gives you the milligrams and the percent daily value for a person with 1,000 mg needs. You can mix and match foods, trying to get a total of 100 for your percent daily value (last columns). For example, one cup of plain low-fat yogurt (42% DV) + 1.5 ounces of cheddar cheese (31% DV) + one cup milk of choice (28-30% DV) gets you to over 100% of your calcium needs for the day.
Do I need to take Vitamin D with my calcium?
Getting adequate vitamin D is important because it helps to absorb calcium. You can get vitamin D from sunlight, certain foods, and supplements. As we age, our skin doesn’t make as much vitamin D from sunlight anymore, so we need to get more from our food. Vitamin D is naturally found in fatty fish like tuna and salmon. Many products like milk, soy milk, orange juice, and cereal are often fortified with vitamin D. People under age 50 should get 400-800 IU of vitamin D daily while people above 50 should get 800-1000 IU. If you have trouble getting your daily recommended amount of vitamin D or calcium, you should talk to your dietitian or doctor about supplementation.
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