Calcium Helps
- Children grow to their full height potential.
- Adolescents and young adults achieve peak bone mass.
- Older adults minimize the normal loss of bone calcium.
- People of all ages maintain normal blood pressure.
So Don't Fall Short
Whose Diets Are Likely To Fall Short in Calcium?
1 out of 2 Adult Women, 25+ years of age.
2 out of 3 Adolescent and Young Adult Females, 11-24 years of age.
1 out of 3 Adolescent and Young Adult Males, 11-24 years of age.
Getting Enough Calcium-Where Do You Stand?
Made with wholesome milk, dairy products are primary food sources for calcium. And you need calcium throughout your entire life. How much do you need? Take a look.
Children 4-8 years=800 mg
Adolescents and Young Adults 9-18 years=1300 mg
Adults 19-50 years=1000 mg
Adults 51 years and over=1200 mg
How do I convert calcium information on food labels from % Daily Value to milligrams calcium?
Simply replace the % sign with a zero. For example, if a food contains 10% DV for calcium, this is about 100 milligrams of calcium per serving. The recommended daily value (DV) for calcium used as the basis for nutrition labeling is 1,000 milligrams per day.
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Getting Enough Calcium-It's Easy To Do
Calcium-filled dairy foods can be enjoyed at every meal. And if keeping tabs on calories and fat has you cutting back on dairy foods, try the many lower fat and fat free varieties of cheese, yogurt and other milk products.
Remember too, that nondairy foods can deliver calcium. For example, tofu, dark-green leafy vegetables (kale, mustard greens, turnip greens), almonds and tortillas (made from lime-processed corn).
Sensible Ideas for People with Lactose-Sensitivity
- Eat smaller servings of dairy products with a meal, rather than on an empty stomach.
- Choose fermented milk products, such as yogurt, which contain live and active cultures that break down lactose.
- Choose aged natural cheeses, such as cheddar and colby, which have almost no lactose.
- Ask a physician or dietition to help determine the amount of lactose per meal that is acceptable for you.
Learn About Label Terms for Calcium
Here's what food product labels tell you about calcium:
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Good Source/Provides/Contains Calcium |
At least 10% of the daily value for calcium per serving. |
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High/Rich/Excellent Source of Calcium
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20% or more of the daily value for calcium per serving. |
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