Calcium is a vital part of your diet. Are you getting enough?
Calcium plays an important role in your wellbeing: Not only is it essential for your bone health, but research has shown that deficiencies have been linked to cardiovascular disease, pregnancy complications and cancers.
While you can find calcium in a wide variety of foods, many of the most calcium-rich options are dairy. If you regularly consume milk, yogurt, cheese and other dairy products, you might be on your way to getting your full daily dose.
But, as registered dietitian Jamie Nadeau tells Paste BN, "especially with the increased popularity of dairy-free milk alternatives, dairy consumption has gone down."
Regardless of what's part of your day-to-day diet, here's how much calcium you should be consuming in a day, and the best foods to help you meet those goals.
How much calcium should you have per day?
People over the age of 4 should be getting between 1,000 and 1,300 milligrams of calcium per day, depending on their age and sex, per the National Institutes of Health's Office of Dietary Supplements. Most need 1,000 mg, while women over the age of 50 need 1,200 mg. And if you're pregnant or breastfeeding, that number rises to 1,300 mg.
"Unfortunately, most people aren't eating enough calcium-rich foods daily to met those needs," Nadeau says.
Nearly 30% of men and 60% of women above the age of 19 don't consume enough calcium, according to the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. And, per NIH, children and teens between 4 and 18, those who are Black or Asian and adults 50 or older who are living in poverty are also susceptible to getting less than the recommended amount.
Not getting enough calcium can lead to several conditions that weaken bones and increase your chances of falls and broken bones, including osteoporosis, rickets and osteomalacia.
What foods are high in calcium?
That aforementioned rise in dairy-free alternatives doesn't have to come at the expense of you getting in enough daily calcium, experts say.
"Luckily there are lots of dairy-free sources of calcium too," Nadeau says. "Fortified dairy-free milks like almond milk, oat milk or soy milk can be a good source as well, just be sure to check the label."
More foods high in calcium, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements, include:
- Plain, low-fat yogurt: 415 mg per serving
- Calcium-fortified orange juice: 349 mg
- Sardines, canned in oil: 325 mg
- Milk: 299 mg
- Tofu: 253 mg
- Cottage cheese: 138 mg
- Kale: 94 mg
- Chia seeds: 76 mg