Calcium is an essential nutrients for bone density and development. Growing children need 800 milligrams (mg) of calcium per day, teenagers need 1,300 mg and adults need 1,000 mg, according to the University of Michigan (UMICH). Some individuals, such as premenopausal women, may need to add a calcium supplement to their diet. Your medical care provider can make the best recommendations as to what type of supplement and how much of it you may need. However, ample calcium can also be obtained by selecting the right food sources. Eating a balanced diet by following MyPyramid.gov will ensure that your daily calcium requirements have been met.
Dairy Foods
According to UMICH, most dairy products contain high levels of calcium. Examples include cheeses, yogurt, milk, buttermilk and cottage cheese. An eight-ounce glass of milk contains about 300 milligrams of calcium. Selecting a few food choices with a high level of calcium can make your daily recommendation easy to reach.
Lactose-Free Products
Several commercial products are fortified with calcium. This can be helpful in meeting calcium requirements for individuals with lactose intolerance or other dairy sensitivities. For example, calcium-fortified soy products are a great substitution. Examples include soy milk, tofu and soy ice cream. There are also commercially prepared products, like Lactaid, that are specially formulated to replace dairy products but keep all of its benefits, including calcium.
Other Calcium Sources
There are many other products that contain high levels of calcium. According to UMICH these include English muffins, corn muffins, fortified whole-wheat cereals, whole-wheat dinner rolls and brown rice. HealthDiaries.com points out several non-dairy calcium-containing foods: collard greens, spinach, kelp, broccoli, almonds, oranges and celery.
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