The Best Place to Get Your Calcium
Americans know calcium is important. How else could you explain it being the #1 selling mineral supplement in 2002?
Instead of getting calcium from supplements, however, it may be wiser to get your calcium from the foods you eat. The 2005 Dietary Guidelines, set forth by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), strongly suggest eating 3 servings of low-fat or fat-free milk, cheese, or yogurt each day to meet recommendations for calcium and other nutrients found in dairy foods.
This recommendation is backed up by a number of health professionals and medical experts who all agree that food sources, especially nutrient-rich dairy foods, are the preferred source of calcium.
The Built-in Dairy Bonus
To many people, supplements seem like the easy answer. Doctor says you need more calcium? Pop a pill. No fuss, no muss. Sadly, though, this doesn’t paint the entire picture. While taking a calcium supplement might help you get the calcium you need, you’ll miss out on other nutrients provided by dairy, including potassium, phosphorus, protein, vitamins A, D, B12, riboflavin and niacin (niacin equivalents).
The 2005 Dietary Guidelines recognize this and say that eating dairy products will help improve your overall nutritional intake. So you see, by drinking milk, you’re getting calcium and strengthening your body with other nutrients you need. It’s a win-win situation!
For some people, though, especially those with milk allergies and vegetarians who avoid all animal products, calcium supplements may be necessary and appropriate. If you’re thinking of taking them, be sure to speak with your health professional about establishing a healthy plan.
How much calcium do you need?
CALCIUM RECOMMENDATIONS
|
Age |
Adequate Intake
(AI) (mg) |
|
1-3 Years |
500 |
|
4-8 Years |
800 |
|
9-18 Years |
1,300 |
|
19-50 |
1,000 |
|
51+ Years |
1,200 |
Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine, 1997
As we mentioned earlier, choosing milk and milk products as your main source of calcium is a great move because it also provides you with 8 other essential nutrients. Read on to see just how much of each nutrient 3 glasses of milk provides:
Percent Daily Value for three 8-ounce (1 cup) glasses of fat-free milk:
|
Nutrient |
Daily Value(DV)* |
Content in 3 cups milk |
|
Calcium |
90% |
900mg |
|
Vitamin D |
75% |
300IU |
|
Vitamin A |
30% |
1,500IU |
|
Protein |
48% |
24g |
|
Potassium |
33% |
1,170mg |
|
Riboflavin |
70% |
1.2mg |
|
Niacin or niacin equivalent (NE) |
30% |
6NE |
|
Vitamin B12 |
40% |
2.4mcg |
|
Phosphorus |
60% |
600mg |
*Based on a 2,000 calorie diet
Is there such a thing as too much calcium?
Calcium intakes of up to 2,500 mg/day are believed to be safe for most individuals. Anything past this level and you may increase the risk of calcium toxicity. This could mean anything from high blood levels of calcium to kidney damage to calcification of soft tissues. However, most people don’t have to worry. Unless you’re eating several servings of calcium-fortified foods each day or overusing supplements, it’s highly unlikely that you’d surpass 2,500 mg/day.
Is dairy the only food with calcium?
According to many health professional organizations, dairy products are the preferred source of calcium because of their high calcium content. While other foods contain calcium, many of these sources provide less calcium per serving than dairy foods, and the amount you absorb from them may be less. In fact, to get the amount of calcium you’d get from one 8-ounce glass of milk, you’d need to eat 8 cups of spinach, nearly 5 cups of red beans, or 2 ¼ cups of broccoli!
With dairy foods being so full of calcium and other essential nutrients, is it any wonder the 2005 Dietary Guidelines recommends 3 servings of low-fat or fat-free milk, cheese or yogurt each and every day?