Patrick Oconnell
Calcium is an essential mineral that helps promote healthy bones, teeth, and cells. It is also necessary for muscle movement, blood clotting, and nerve signaling. While calcium supplements are available, scientists recommend that at least half of your calcium intake should come from your diet. Dairy products such as milk, yogurt, and cheese are rich in calcium and tend to be the best-absorbed sources. For instance, a 3 cm cube of hard cheeses like parmesan, cheddar, or gouda has 245 mg of calcium. However, full-fat cheese can be high in saturated fat and calories, and certain cheeses contain a lot of sodium.
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What You'll Learn
- Calcium is essential for good health and strong bones, teeth, and cells
- Dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurt are calcium-rich
- Hard cheeses like Parmesan, cheddar, and Swiss contain more calcium
- Calcium-fortified foods like cereals are good non-dairy sources
- Calcium supplements are popular, but food sources are better
Calcium is essential for good health and strong bones, teeth, and cells
Calcium is an essential mineral that plays a vital role in maintaining good health, strong bones, teeth, and cells. While calcium supplements are popular, studies indicate that the benefits of calcium are best derived from dietary sources. Calcium is most well-known for its contribution to bone health, but it also supports muscle function, blood clotting, nerve signalling, and cellular function.
Dairy products like milk, yogurt, and cheese are excellent sources of calcium. The calcium content in cheese varies depending on the brand, weight, and cheesemaking process, with hard cheeses like Parmesan, cheddar, Swiss, and Gouda generally containing higher amounts of calcium due to their lower water content. For example, a 3 cm cube of hard cheese provides about 245 mg of calcium, which is a significant portion of the recommended daily intake. Soft cheeses like Brie and Camembert have lower calcium content, with about 50% less calcium than hard cheeses. Low-fat cheeses are also good sources of calcium, albeit in lesser concentrations. For instance, ricotta cheese provides about 12% of the recommended daily intake.
In addition to dairy, calcium can be obtained from both plant and animal sources. Plant sources include seeds, leafy greens, legumes, nuts, and dried fruit. Sardines, canned salmon, and flour tortillas are examples of calcium-rich animal sources that are not dairy-based. It is important to note that the body's ability to absorb calcium from plant-based sources may be lower compared to dairy products.
Vitamin D and magnesium are crucial for the proper absorption and utilisation of calcium in the body. Certain foods, such as salmon and cheddar cheese, contain both calcium and vitamin D. Adequate sun exposure or vitamin D supplementation can also aid in calcium absorption. Overall, a well-rounded diet that includes a variety of calcium-rich foods is the best way to ensure sufficient calcium intake for maintaining good health and strong bones, teeth, and cells.
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Dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurt are calcium-rich
Dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurt are excellent sources of calcium. Calcium is an essential mineral that helps promote healthy bones, teeth, and cells. It also plays a role in heart health, muscle function, and nerve signaling. While calcium supplements are available, scientists recommend that at least half of your calcium intake should come from your diet. Dairy products are among the best-absorbed sources of calcium, and they offer a range of other nutrients as well.
Milk and milk products, for example, contribute to higher nutrient intakes without adversely impacting fat or dietary cholesterol levels. Lower-fat milk options can help reduce blood cholesterol levels effectively. Regular consumption of milk and yogurt has also been linked to a lower risk of metabolic syndrome, which can reduce the chances of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.
Cheese is another dairy product that is rich in calcium, especially hard cheeses like Parmesan, cheddar, Swiss, Edam, Gouda, Gruyere, and blue cheese. These hard cheeses have less water content, which concentrates their calcium content. A 3 cm cube of these hard cheeses can provide nearly a quarter of your recommended daily calcium intake. Lower-fat cheeses still provide calcium, but in less concentrated amounts.
Yogurt is an excellent source of calcium, and it also offers additional benefits due to its probiotic content. Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that can promote immune function, improve heart health, and enhance nutrient absorption. Plain, low-fat yogurt typically has a higher calcium content than regular yogurt, while Greek yogurt delivers less calcium but provides extra protein.
In summary, dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurt are calcium-rich and provide additional nutritional benefits. They are excellent choices for meeting your calcium requirements and promoting overall health.
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Hard cheeses like Parmesan, cheddar, and Swiss contain more calcium
Dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurt are especially high in calcium. While calcium supplements are available, scientists recommend that at least half of your calcium intake should come from your diet. For most adults, it is recommended to consume at least 1,000 mg of calcium per day, although adolescents, postmenopausal women, and older adults require a higher amount.
Low-fat cheeses are also sources of calcium, just less concentrated. Partially skimmed mozzarella cheese or marble cheddar are good sources of calcium (21% RDI per 25-gram serving). Half a cup of cottage cheese (4% or less milk fat) and 50 grams of ricotta cheese (10% or less milk fat) are sources of calcium, providing about 8% and 12% RDI, respectively. Fat-free cheeses have the least calcium of all cheeses, but you can still get a small portion of your daily intake.
In addition to dairy products, calcium can also be obtained from plant sources like sardines, seeds, and leafy greens, as well as animal sources like salmon.
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Calcium-fortified foods like cereals are good non-dairy sources
Dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurt are considered the best sources of calcium. However, calcium is also available in many non-dairy sources. Calcium-fortified foods like cereals are good non-dairy sources of calcium. Fortified cereals provide as much as 100 milligrams of calcium per serving. In addition to cereals, flour and cornmeal may also be fortified with calcium. This is why some breads, tortillas, and crackers contain high amounts of calcium. Amaranth is another highly nutritious pseudocereal that is a good source of calcium. One cup (246 grams) of cooked amaranth grain delivers 116 mg of calcium, or 12% of the DV. Amaranth leaves contain even more, with 276 mg and 28% of the DV for calcium per cooked cup (132 grams).
If you are on a dairy-free diet, calcium-fortified foods like juices are among the best sources of calcium. In addition to fortified foods, there are many plant-based sources of calcium, including tofu, chia seeds, almonds, and soy milk. One cup of fortified soy milk contains about the same amount of calcium as cow’s milk. Tofu is also an excellent source of calcium, but the calcium content varies depending on the firmness and brand. To receive the benefits of the calcium, read the labeling carefully and only select tofu that contains calcium salt.
It is important to note that your body needs vitamin D to absorb calcium properly. If you are not getting regular sun exposure, try taking a supplement or consuming foods rich in vitamin D, like milk. Canned salmon is another excellent source of calcium and vitamin D. Just 3 ounces of canned salmon provides 181 milligrams of calcium.
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Calcium supplements are popular, but food sources are better
Calcium is an essential mineral that promotes healthy bones, teeth, and cells. It also plays a role in heart health, muscle function, and nerve signalling. While calcium supplements are popular, especially in the US, they may not be the best way to get your calcium fix.
Calcium supplements have been linked to major health problems, and there is a growing body of evidence that suggests they may be harmful. This is because nutrients in pill form are not processed in the body in the same way as when they are ingested from food sources. For example, when you get calcium through your diet, you absorb it in small amounts throughout the day, alongside other food sources, which helps with nutrient absorption.
There are plenty of dietary sources of calcium, including dairy products such as milk, yoghurt, and cheese. Indeed, dairy products are at the top of the Government of Canada's list of calcium sources. The amount of calcium in cheese varies depending on the brand, weight, and cheesemaking process, but hard cheeses like parmesan, cheddar, Swiss, Edam, gouda, Gruyere, or blue cheese tend to pack the most calcium because they have less water content. Other good sources of calcium include sardines, seeds, and leafy greens.
If you are on a dairy-free diet, fortified juices, sardines, and collard greens are among the best sources of calcium. Canned salmon is also an excellent source of calcium and vitamin D, which helps your body absorb more calcium.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, cheese is a good source of calcium, especially ricotta, partially-skimmed mozzarella, marble cheddar, cottage cheese, and parmesan.
The recommended amount of calcium is at least 1,000 mg per day for most adults, but adolescents, postmenopausal women, and older adults require a higher amount.
While dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurt are especially high in calcium, many dairy-free sources of calcium are available, including sardines, seeds, and leafy greens.
No, the amount of calcium in cheese varies depending on the brand, weight, and cheesemaking process. Hard cheeses like parmesan, cheddar, Swiss, and gouda tend to have more calcium than soft cheeses like Brie and Camembert.
Calcium is an essential mineral that helps promote healthy bones, teeth, and cells. It also plays a role in muscle function, nerve signaling, and blood clotting.
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