Calcium

Calcium is a mineral that helps build strong bones. Calcium is also necessary for many of your body’s functions, such as blood clotting and nerve and muscle function. During your teenage years (particularly ages 11-15), your bones are developing quickly and are storing calcium so that your skeleton will be strong later in life. Nearly half of all bone is formed during these years. It’s important that you get plenty of calcium through your diet because if the rest of the body doesn’t get the calcium it needs through food, it takes calcium from the only source that it has: your bones. This can lead to brittle bones later in life, and broken bones or stress fractures at any time. Unfortunately, most teenage girls do not get enough calcium in their diet.

What is osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is a bone disease that causes bones to become fragile and increases the risk of bone breaks. It develops slowly and is usually caused by a combination of genetics and too little calcium in the diet. Osteoporosis can also lead to shortened height because of collapsing spinal bones and can cause a hunched back.

How do I know if I’m at risk?

Several factors can put a young person at risk for developing osteoporosis. They include:

• • Being white
  • Being female
  • Being underweight
  • Having a family history of osteoporosis
  • Having irregular periods
  • Doing little or no weight-bearing exercise (ex: running or walking)
  • Not getting enough calcium in your diet
  • Certain diseases that affect nutrient absorption such as untreated celiac disease
  • Smoking
  • Drinking large amounts of alcohol

Osteoporosis can be prevented. There are some risk factors that you cannot change (such as your race and your family history), but there are some you can! Eat a healthy diet, exercise on a regular basis, and don’t smoke!

How much calcium do I need?

Children and teenagers between the ages of 9 and 18 should aim for 1,300 milligrams per day, which is about 4 servings of high-calcium food or drinks. Each 8-ounce glass of milk (whether 1%, 2%, or whole) and each cup of yogurt has about 300 milligrams of calcium. Adults 19 to 50 years of age should aim for 1,000 milligrams, or about 3 servings, per day.

How do I know how much calcium is in the foods I eat?

For foods that have a Nutrition Facts label, the amount of calcium in that food is required to be on the label.  At the bottom of the label, you will see four nutrients: Vitamin D, calcium, iron, and potassium. Next to calcium will be a number indicating the amount (in mg) in a serving of that product.

What foods contain calcium?

Dairy foods such as milk, yogurt, and cheese are good sources of calcium. Other surprising sources of calcium are tofu and beans! See the list of high-calcium foods at the end of this guide.

What if  I have a lactose intolerance or a milk allergy?

If you have lactose intolerance or have a milk allergy and can’t drink milk, there are plenty of other ways to get enough calcium. These include drinking fortified soy milk and soy milk products, fortified orange juice, or lactose-free milk (the lactase enzyme that you are missing has been added into the milk). Lactose free milk is not a safe alternative for those with a milk allergy. If you are lactose intolerant, you may also take lactase enzyme tablets before eating dairy products to help digest the lactose sugar in the milk. Some people who are lactose intolerant can tolerate having small amounts of milk or other dairy products.  Hard cheeses, such as cheddar, Swiss, and parmesan, are naturally low in lactose and can usually be tolerated by those with lactose intolerance.  If you have a milk allergy, it is important to talk with your health care provider about what you can safely eat or drink.

How can I get more calcium in my diet?

Here are some ideas for how you can get more calcium in your breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks:
Calcium tips

What if I just can’t get enough calcium in my diet?

It’s best to try to meet your calcium needs by having calcium-rich foods and drinks, but some teens find it hard to fit in 4 servings of high-calcium foods daily. If you don’t like dairy foods, calcium fortified juice, or milk alternatives, you may need a calcium supplement. Calcium carbonate (for example, Viactiv® or a generic chewable) and calcium citrate (for example, Citracal®) are good choices. When choosing a supplement, keep the following tips in mind:

• Most calcium supplements have between 200 and 500 milligrams of calcium. Remember, your goal is 1,300 milligrams per day.
• If you have to take more than one supplement per day, it is best to take them at different times of the day because your body can only absorb about 500 milligrams of calcium at a time.
• Don’t count on getting all of your calcium from a multivitamin. Most basic multivitamin/mineral tablets have very little calcium in them.
• Look for a calcium supplement that has vitamin D added. Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium.
• Avoid “oyster shell” or “natural source” calcium supplements. These may have lead or aluminum in them and are not recommended.
• Your dietitian or health care provider will be able to support you with recommendations on what supplement will best suit your needs.

Food:	Serving:	Milligrams of Calcium:
Dairy Products:
Yogurt, low-fat	1 cup	338-448
Ricotta cheese, part-skim	1/2 cup	337
Milk (skim)	1 cup	299
Fortified soy and rice milks	1 cup	26-360
Milk (1%)	1 cup	305
Milk (whole)	1 cup	276
Ricotta cheese, whole	1/2 cup	255
Swiss cheese	1 ounce	221
Mozzarella cheese, part skim	1 ounce	222
Cheddar cheese	1 ounce	201
Muenster cheese	1 ounce	203
American cheese	1 ounce	296
Frozen yogurt	1/2 cup	103
Ice cream	1/2 cup	84
Pudding	4 ounce container	54
Protein Foods:
Soybeans, cooked	1 cup	175
Canned salmon	3 ounces	180-325
Nasoya Tofu Plus®, firm	3 ounces	246
Kidney beans, canned	1/2 cup	25
White beans, cooked	1/2 cup	81
Crab, canned	3 ounces	77
Clams, canned and drained	3 ounces	55
Almonds	1 oz (23 nuts)	70
Sesame seeds	1 tablespoon	88
Vegetables:
Collard greens, cooked	1/2 cup	134
Spinach, cooked	1/2 cup	122
Kale, cooked	1/2 cup	90
Broccoli, cooked	1/2 cup	89
Fruits:
Calcium-fortified orange juice	1 cup	300
Rhubarb, cooked	1/2 cup	174
Dried figs	1/3 cup	162
Orange	1	52
Cereals and Bars:
Raisin Bran® Cereal	1 cup	25
Cream of Wheat® Hot Cereal	3 Tbps, dry	235
Cheerios® Cereal	1 cup	122
Kix® Cereal	1 1/4 cup	150
Nutrigrain® Cereal Bar	1 bar	130

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Our health guides are developed through a systematic, rigorous process to ensure accuracy, reliability, and trustworthiness. Written and reviewed by experienced healthcare clinicians from Boston Children's Hospital, a Harvard Medical School teaching hospital and consistently ranked as a top hospital by Newsweek and U.S. News & World Report, these guides combine clinical expertise, specialized knowledge, and evidence-based medicine. We also incorporate research and best practices from authoritative sources such as the CDC, NIH, PubMed, top medical journals, and UpToDate.com. Clinical specialists and subject matter experts review and edit each guide, reinforcing our commitment to high-quality, factual, scientifically accurate health information for young people.