Dietary Calcium
Dietary calcium is the body's best source of calcium. Food sources or calcium are easily & readily utilised by our bodies without the ill effects experienced by many calcium supplements (e.g. constipation, bloating, gas).
In recent years, there has talk about whether the use of calcium supplements contribute to cardiovascular disease. At this stage, the evidence & data is still inconclusive, and mainly refers to calcium supplements (higher amounts of calcium as opposed to small amounts that may be found in some multivitamin combinations etc). So, the general recommendation is to ensure a plentiful supply of dietary calcium intake from various foods, and take calcium supplements only as prescribed by your doctor.
If you feel that you may require supplementation, please see your doctor .
Since Vitamin D is a necessary for our bodies to absorb calcium, it's equally as important to maintain adequate Vitamin D intake.
Calcium Requirements:
These are general guidelines only, and requirements may vary from person to person, depending on how well the calcium is absorbed. (Factors such as the presence of sodium, protein, oxalic acid & phytic acid in foods may influence calcium excretion & absorption).
Recommended
Daily Intake (RDI)
|
Reason
for RDI
|
| Infants 0 - 6 months 210 mg/day 7-12 months 270 mg/day Children 1 - 3 years 500 mg/day 4 - 8 years 700 mg/day 9 - 11 years 1000 mg/day Teenagers 12 - 18 years 1300 mg/day | Peak
bone mass is achieved by early twenties. Nearly 40% of Peak Bone Mass is acquired during puberty. |
| Adults
19 years + 1000mg/day | Adequate calcium is necessary to maintain bone strength. |
| Older
Adults - Women over 50 years 1300mg/day Men over 75 years 1300mg/day | Calcium intake is needed at higher levels because it is absorbed less effectively from the intestines, and more calcium may be lost through the kidneys. |
Calcium-Rich Foods
Dairy is a great source of calcium, however, there are also many non-dairy options.
Here are some examples of excellent sources of calcium-rich foods:
Here are some examples of excellent sources of calcium-rich foods:
Produce
|
Serving
Size
|
Estimated
Calcium*
|
| Collard greens, frozen |
1cup/225g
|
360
mg
|
| Green Turnips |
1
cup
|
249
mg
|
| Broccoli rabe |
1cup/225g
|
200
mg
|
| Kale, frozen |
1cup/225g
|
180
mg
|
| Soy Beans, green, boiled |
1cup/225g
|
175
mg
|
| Bok Choy, cooked, boiled |
1cup/225g
|
160
mg
|
| Okra, cooked |
1
cup
|
135
mg
|
| Iceberg Lettuce |
1
head
|
97
mg
|
| Figs, dried |
2
figs
|
65
mg
|
| Broccoli, fresh, cooked |
1cup/225g
|
60
mg
|
| Oranges |
1
whole
|
55mg
|
| Black Eyed Peas, boiled |
1
cup
|
210
mg
|
| Bakes Beans, canned |
113g
|
160
mg
|
| Baked Beans, canned |
113g
|
160
mg
|
| Sardines, canned with bones |
85g
|
325mg
|
| Salmon, canned with bones |
85g
|
180
mg
|
| Shrimp, canned |
85g
|
125mg
|
| Trail Mix (nuts,seeds,choc chips) |
1
cup
|
159
mg
|
| Almonds |
24nuts
|
70
mg
|
| Soy Yoghurt, commercial |
170g
|
300
mg
|
| Calcium-set Tofu |
85g(¼block)
|
163
mg
|
| Soy Milk |
1
cup
|
93
mg
|
| Tahini |
2Tablespoon
|
128
mg
|
| Blackstrap Molasses |
2Tablespoon
|
400
mg
|
| Dairy |
Serving
Size
|
Estimated
Calcium*
|
| Ricotta, part-skim |
113g
|
335
mg
|
| Yoghurt, plain, low-fat |
1
cup/225g
|
415
mg
|
| Yoghurt, plain whole milk |
1
cup/225g
|
275
mg
|
| Milk, skim, low-fat, whole |
1
cup/225g
|
300
mg
|
| Yogurt with fruit, low-fat |
170g
|
260
mg
|
| Mozzarella, part-skim |
28g
|
210
mg
|
| Cheddar |
28g
|
205
mg
|
| Yogurt, Greek |
170g
|
200
mg
|
| American Cheese |
28g
|
195
mg
|
| Feta Cheese |
113g
|
140
mg
|
| Cottage Cheese, 2% |
113g
|
105
mg
|
| Frozen yogurt, vanilla |
1
cup/225g
|
105mg
|
| Ice Cream, vanilla |
1
cup/225g
|
85mg
|
| Parmesan |
1
Tablespoon
|
55mg
|
Uyen Dinh
Consultant Pharmacist
