Part 2: How Much Daily Calcium Do I Need? From What Food Sources? Milk Alternatives?

Part 2: How Much Daily Calcium Do I Need?

Here is a list of the current daily recommended calcium requirements:

1 - 3 year old 500mg

4 - 8 year old 800mg

9 - 18 year old 1300mg

19 - 50 years old 1000mg

51+ years 1200 mg

What foods contain significant sources of well-absorbed calcium?

Check out the calcium amounts in the following list of foods per food group. Make note of those you frequently eat and add up the calcium mgs to see what your current daily intake is.

Dairy

Milk 1c 300mg

Buttermilk 1c 300mg

Hard cheddar or mozzarella cheese 1oz 200mg

Swiss or Gruyere cheese 1oz 270mg

Parmesan cheese 1T 70mg

Ice Cream 1/2c 100mg

Carnation Instant Breakfast 1 pkt 250mg

Nonfat dry milk powder 5T 300mg

Yogurt, nonfat 1c 300mg

Greek Yogurt 1c 187mg

Vegetables

Acorn Squash 1c 90mg

Arugula, raw 1c 125mg

Broccoli 1c 180mg

Chard/Okra 100mg

Spinach, cooked 1c 240mg

Fruits

Dried Figs 1c 300mg

Kiwi 1c 50mg

Orange Juice (fortified with calcium) 1c 300mg

Legumes

Garbanzo Beans 1c 80mg

Legumes, general, cooked 1/2c 15-50mg

White Beans 1/2c 70mg

Tofu, firm, calcium set 1/2c 250-750mg

Tofu, soft, regular 1/2c 120-390mg

Fish

Mackerel, canned 3oz 250mg

Salmon, canned with bones 3oz 170-210mg

Sardines 3oz 370mg

Shrimp, canned 3oz 125 mg

Grains

Cereals (calcium fortified) ½-1c 250-1000mg

Amaranth, cooked 1/2c. 135mg

Bread (calcium fortified) 1 slice 150-200mg

Brown rice, long grain 1c 50mg

Oatmeal, instant 1 pkg 100-150mg

Tortillas 2 85 mg

Nuts

Almonds 1oz 80mg

Sunflower seeds, dried 1oz 50mg

Sesame seeds, whole, roasted 1 oz 280mg

Molasses, blackstrap 1 T 135mg

 

Overwhelmed by Milk Substitutes? Here Are Five Healthy Choices

Comparison of 2% Milk to Milk Substitutes*

Type of Milk	Calories	Total Fat	Protein	Calcium (%Daily Value)
2% Milk	130	5.0g	8g	25%
Flax Milk	50	2.5g	0g	30%
Soy Milk	90	3.5g	6g	45%
Almond Milk	60	2.5g	1g	45%
Coconut Milk	80	5.0g	1g	45%
Rice Milk	120	2.5g	1g	30%

*Per 1-cup serving: Most store - bought alternative milks are calcium-fortified.

Today milk alternatives are not just widely available; they’re also growing in popularity. Milk substitutes fill a dietary void for vegans, animal advocates, people with high cholesterol, those with dairy allergies, and the estimated 30 million people who are lactose intolerant.

If you have challenges getting enough calcium in your diet, you may want to consider taking a good calcium supplement.

Next article Part 3: How to Choose a Calcium Supplement