Do you want strong and healthy bones?

~ The narrator

Just like skin and muscle, bone is a living tissue that is constantly being renewed and replaced and calcium is vital for this growth process. Children replace their skeleton rapidly while the adult skeleton is replaced at a slower rate. During childhood and adolescence there is a once in a lifetime opportunity to build strong bones. Calcium is laid down and our bones get bigger and stronger reaching their peak bone mass by our mid to late twenties. As we approach middle age, the situation in our bone begins to change and instead of building bone we begin to lose bone. This is a normal part of the ageing process and a good calcium intake is essential to keep bone losses as low as possible.

So how much calcium do I need?

The amount of calcium you need every day varies according to your age group, from 525mg as a baby to up to 1000mg as a male teenager. For adults the general guideline is 700mg (which remains the same (for pregnancy but during lactation, you need to add another 550mg)).

How can I make sure that I get this every day?

Eating three portions of calcium-rich foods every day is a smart move to keep your bones and teeth in good shape throughout life. For an adult, to get your 700mg of calcium a day, this 3-A-Day could consist of 200ml semi-skimmed milk, 150g low-fat yoghurt and 30g low-fat cheese.

Many other foods apart from milk and dairy foods also contain calcium:

  • white bread (a large slice (about 36g) contains 64mg of calcium)
  • cereal foods
  • pulses, beans and lentils
  • green leafy vegetables (90g of spinach (cooked) contains 144mg of calcium)
  • dried fruit, nuts and seeds (6 almonds contain 31mg of calcium)
  • tinned fish if you eat the bones! (100g of canned sardines in tomato sauce with bones contains 430mg of calcium)
  • fruit (one medium orange contains 75mg of calcium and 140g of rhubarb cooked with sugar contains 46mg of calcium)

However, the calcium in milk and dairy foods is easier to absorb than that in some of the above foods. For example, to get the same amount of calcium as a 200ml glass of milk, you would need to eat 11 servings of spinach, 5 oranges or 62 servings of of rhubarb.

A sample meal plan for a day in which you would get your 3-A-Day of calcium would be:

Other ways to reach your 3-A-Day:

  • Having milky tea and coffee during the day contributes to your intake of milk and helps you reach your 3-A-Day
  • Flavoured milk has just as much calcium and the same range of nutrients as white milk
  • Serving custard with a fruit based dessert would count as one portion from your 3-A-Day

(please note that cow’s milk should not be given as a drink before the age of 1 year)

How can I get the most from calcium?

In order to absorb all the calcium from milk and dairy products, we need to get enough vitamin D. Some vitamin D comes from the diet, but we get most of it from the direct action of sunlight on our skin. In the UK, we build up stores of vitamin D during the summer months that are used up through the winter when the hours of sunlight are much less. It is important that we obtain vitamin D from dietary sources to ensure we have enough vitamin D during the winter months. It is therefore essential to encourage children to spend some time outdoors and for adults to try and get some sunlight every day.

Do I need to take a calcium supplement?

Most people don’t need to take calcium supplements as all the calcium needed can usually be obtained by eating 3-A-Day of milk and dairy products as part of a healthy balanced diet. There are, however, some individuals who may need to take a calcium supplement because they do not eat dairy foods, e.g. vegans or individuals who have a medically diagnosed milk allergy.

What else can I do to help the growth and renewal of strong bones?

In addition to eating 3-A-Day of milk and dairy products, weight-bearing activity is also essential for building and maintaining strong bones. Weight-bearing activities are those that keep you on your feet such as walking, aerobics, running, tennis, football etc. Try to include 30 minutes of moderate activity five days per week and make sure that some of it is weight bearing

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