by Joyce Good Henderson

Created on: May 17, 2009   Last Updated: May 22, 2009

How to get more calcium-rich foods into your diet

Your body needs calcium to build and maintain strong bones and teeth, for muscle and blood vessel contractions, to manufacture hormones and enzymes, and for the transmission of signals throughout the nervous system.

Your body does not make calcium, and you lose it daily through shed skin, hair, nails, sweat, urine and stools. All of your calcium needs must be met through dietary intake. When you do not consume sufficient calcium, your body will take it from your bones. Bones constantly go through a process of remodeling in which small amounts of old bone is removed and new bone formed. After age 35, however, more bone is lost than made, and in post-menopausal women, bone loss accelerates, making them more susceptible to osteoporosis.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Pyramid Guide recommends that persons two years of age and older eat 2-3 servings of dairy products daily. A serving consists of:

8 ounces of milk

8 ounces of yogurt

1.5 to 2 ounces of cheese.

If you are concerned about the fat content of dairy products, you can purchase low fat dairy products. However, if you are lactose intolerant or have a milk, whey or casein allergy, or are a vegan, a person who consumes no animal products, you will have to use other dietary sources to meet your daily needs for calcium.

There are many foods that provide small quantities of calcium. You simply need to eat more of them to obtain the same level of calcium that dairy products provide. Among greens, one-half cup of spinach contains 120 mg of calcium, or 12% of the daily value required, as compared to 8 ounces of milk which has 300 mg or 30% of the daily value. One cup each of kale, turnip greens and Chinese cabbage contain 7-9% of daily needs. Broccoli brings up the low end of the list with about 2% of daily needs per cup.

Calcium is found in unexpected places, such as tofu, (one cup has 20% of daily needs), and canned salmon (3 ounces provides 18% of daily needs). Other excellent sources are fortified foods, such as cereals, bread and corn or flour tortillas.

Strategies to get more calcium-rich foods into your diet include:

Replace water with low-fat milk in recipes for pancakes, mashed potatoes, puddings, instant hot cereals and cream coups

Make a fruit smoothie with milk and yogurt for breakfast

Sprinkle low fat cheese on salad, pasta, omelets or soup

Make a low fat yogurt dip for vegetable; dip broccoli in it for added calcium

Add calcium-fortified cereals, breads and orange juice to your diet

Snack on almonds

Fill a calcium-fortified tortilla with kidney beans and shredded cheese.

Calcium-rich foods don't have to be limited to dairy products. A well-balanced diet can feature 2-3 servings of dairy products, or 4-6 servings of vegetables and calcium-fortified foods to give you the calcium-rich foods you need everyday.

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