Calcium and phosphate are two of the main elements in your bones and teeth. Both calcium and phosphate are essential nutrients. The Food and Nutrition Board’s Institute of Medicine’s recommended dietary allowance for healthy men and women ages 19- to 50-years-old is 1,000 mg for calcium and 700 mg for phosphorus.
Milk
Milk is popular in schools, and is a refreshing way to wash down a peanut butter sandwich or brownie. According to the USDA’s Economic Research Service, the average American drank almost 23 gallons of milk in the year 2000. Cow’s milk is a natural source of calcium phosphate. Results of the USDA’s nutrient analysis show that the amount of calcium and phosphorus in cow’s milk is almost the same no matter whether the milk is skim, reduced fat, or whole. An 8-oz. cup of milk has about 300 mg of calcium and 500 mg of phosphorus.
Yogurt
Yogurt is another dairy source of calcium phosphate. According to the California Milk Advisory Board, yogurt’s many nutrients include potassium, riboflavin and protein. In addition, proponents consider yogurt to be beneficial for the immune and digestive systems because it contains live bacterial cultures such as Lactobacillus streptococcus and Streptococcus thermophilus. While the calcium phosphate content of yogurt can vary depending on exactly how the yogurt is made, an 8-oz. serving of yogurt typically has about 340 mg of calcium and 300 mg of phosphorus.
Cheese
Cheeses are an extremely varied group of dairy products, and they have a wide range of calcium phosphate content. The cheeses with calcium and phosphorus include hard cheeses such as cheddar and mozzarella, and soft cheeses, such as Camembert and brie. In addition, cottage cheese and ricotta have calcium phosphate. As an example, the USDA reports that an ounce of cheddar cheese has about 200 mg of calcium and 140 mg of phosphorus.
Fatty Fish
Certain fish are good sources of calcium phosphate because of the amounts that are in their bones. The types of fish especially high in calcium and phosphate are the fatty fish including halibut, flounder, sardines, anchovies and salmon. These sources are good alternatives for people who do not like dairy products, or who are lactose intolerant. According to the USDA’s nutrient analysis, a 3-oz. serving of canned sardines has about 320 mg of calcium and 420 mg of phosphorus.
References
- Dietary Reference Intakes: Recommended Intakes for Individuals, Elements
- USDA Economic Research Service: Table 2-2: Americans are Drinking Less Milk, Eating More Cheese
- USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 17: Calcium, Ca (mg)
- USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 22: Phosphorus, P (mg)
- California Milk Advisory Board: Yogurt
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