In the United States, dairy products—milk, yogurt,
and cheese—are the main sources of dietary calcium.
Low-fat dairy products, such as skim milk or reducedfat
cheese, contain about the same amount of calcium
as whole milk products.
Other sources of calcium
include canned fish with bones, dark green leafy vegetables,
and tofu made with calcium sulfate. Other types
of tofu do not contain significant amounts of calcium.
Processed foods such as orange juice, breakfast cereal,
instant breakfast drinks, and bread are often fortified
with calcium. This will be indicated on the label.
The following list gives the approximate manganese
content for some common foods:
- milk, any type, 1 cup (8 ounces): 300 mg
- yogurt, plain, 8 ounces: 415 mg
- yogurt with fruit, 8 ounces: 245–384 mg
- cheddar cheese, 1.5 ounces: 305 mg
- mozzarella cheese, 1.5 ounces: 372 mg
- sardines with bones, canned in oil, 3 ounces: 324
- salmon with bones, canned, 3 ounces: 181 mg
- tofu, firm, made with calcium sulfate, 1/2 cup: 204 mg
- pinto or red beans, cooked, 1/2 cup: 43 mg
- white beans, cooked, 1/2 cup: 113 mg
- bok choy, 1/2 cup cooked: 61 mg
- spinach, cooked, 1/2 cup: 120 mg
- bread, whole wheat, 1 slice 20 mg
- orange juice, fortified, 6 ounces: 200–260 mg
- instant breakfast drink, powder prepared with water,105–250 mg
- breakfast cereal, fortified, 1 cup: 100–1,000 mg
Although experts recommend that people meet as
many of their vitamins and minerals needs through diet
as possible, it is difficult for many people to get enough
calcium from food alone.
This is especially true for
vegans, who eat no dairy products, adolescent girls
who are very calorie conscious and tend to avoid milk
and replace it with diet sodas, and people with lactose
intolerance who cannot easily digest dairy products.
Pregnant women and older individuals may also have
a hard time eating enough to meet their calcium needs.
People who do not get enough calcium through diet can
benefit from taking a dietary supplement containing
calcium.
Calcium supplements are available over-the-counter.
The most common supplements supply calcium in the
form of calcium carbonate or calcium citrate.
Calcium
carbonate is usually themost economical calcium supplement.
People who are takingmedications to reduce stomach
acid may more easily absorb calcium citrate. Some
supplements combine calcium and vitamin D because
vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium.
No calcium
supplement contains enough calcium meet the entire daily
adequate intake, because the pill would be too large to
swallow.
In addition, the body absorbs calcium best in
doses of 500 mg or less. People who need more than 500
mg of supplemental calcium should divide the dose in half
to be taken morning and evening.
