Whether your child has an intolerance to milk or you’re just worried your child isn’t getting enough calcium, there are good reasons to get this important nutrient into their diet every day. The good news is there are many foods high in calcium that can be prepared in a variety of ways.
Food sources of calcium and daily needs
| Food | Serving size | Amount (mg) |
|---|---|---|
| Plain yogurt, low fat | 1 cup | 448 |
| Tofu (made with calcium sulfate) | 4 oz | 397 |
| Sesame seeds | ¼ cup | 351 |
| 2% milk | 1 cup | 349 |
| Fortified orange juice | ½ cup | 250 |
| Dried figs | 1 cup | 241 |
| Collards | 1 cup, raw | 232 |
| Almonds | ½ cup | 189 |
| Fortified soy milk | ½ cup | 150 |
| White beans | 1 cup | 131 |
| Black strap molasses | 2 teaspoons | 117 |
| Sardines | 1 ounce | 108 |
| Rhubarb | 1 cup | 105 |
| Swiss chard | 1 cup | 101 |
| Oranges | 1 cup | 71 |
| Dill, dried | 1 tablespoon | 53 |
| Broccoli | 1 cup, raw | 43 |
| Age group | Daily requirement (mg) |
|---|---|
| 1-3 yrs | 700 |
| 4-8 yrs | 1,000 |
| 9-18 yrs | 1,300 |
Calcium function in the body
Most people are aware that calcium contributes to strong bones and teeth. Calcium also is present in our blood to help with muscle contractions, nerve functions and blood clotting. Calcium in our blood only makes up one percent of our total calcium, but it will be taken from our bones when there is insufficient amount flowing in the blood. You can think of our bones like a calcium “bank account,” where kids are able to pack in their savings during childhood. As they grow up and age, they’ll start taking from this savings “account” — this ultimately is what can lead to osteoporosis if they go into debt over time. You may have heard that drinking soda can weaken bones; this is true due to the phosphoric acid in dark sodas. It dilutes the one percent ratio of calcium in the blood and can begin depleting the calcium “account” from their bones while they are still young.
Maximizing absorption of calcium
Calcium is a mineral that has several factors that influence how it is absorbed, excreted and mineralized. Knowing what to look for can help put these food sources to best use.
It’s important to know that our bodies only can absorb around 300mg to 400mg of calcium at one time. For example, an adult taking a “one-a-day” pill that contains 1,000mg will only absorb about 1⁄3 of that amount; the rest will be filtered through the kidneys and discarded in the urine. This can be hard on the body and recent research is questioning the advantages over disadvantages of supplementing. We at PCC always encourage getting nutrients from food as the first option.
Useful tips
It is easy to find simple ways to incorporate calcium-rich foods into your child’s diet without changing it drastically.
About the Nutritionist
Leika received her undergraduate degree in nutrition at Bastyr University. She has dedicated her career to community nutrition with an emphasis on childhood nutrition and parent education as a way to support the livelihood of the next generation. Her approach focuses on bringing kids and parents into the kitchen so that learning nutrition is fun and delicious!
Leika received her undergraduate degree in nutrition at Bastyr University. She has dedicated her career to community nutrition with an emphasis on childhood nutrition and parent education as a way to support the livelihood of the next generation. Her approach focuses on bringing kids and parents into the kitchen so that learning nutrition is fun and delicious!
