Children need plenty of calcium to grow healthy and strong
Studies at the USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center at
Baylor College of Medicine in Houston have shown that giving children
more calcium when they are younger will build stronger bones that
may be more resistant to debilitating bone fractures from osteoporosis
when they get older.
Osteoporosis is a crippling bone disease that affects some 20 million
Americans.
"Calcium can be obtained from many food sources, including
milk, calcium-fortified orange juice, cheese, yogurt, leafy green
vegetables, legumes, soy products, breads, grains, and some cereals,"
said Becky Gorham, M.S., RD/LD, a CNRC nutritionist. "It is
important for parents to include at least one calcium source with
each meal and snack to ensure that children will develop the strongest
bones possible."
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Daily Calcium Intake Guidelines*
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1 to 3 years old
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500 mg
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4 to 8 years old
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800 mg
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9 to 18 years old
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1,300 mg
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19 to 50 years old
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1,000 mg
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51 and older
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1,200 mg
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PG/Lactating Mothers
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14 to 18 years old
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1,300 mg
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19 + years old
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1,000 mg
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Natural Dairy Sources of Calcium
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Milk...........................................300
mg
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Cheese (1 ounce).................175-275 mg
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Cottage Cheese (1 cup)..............140 mg
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Yogurt (1 cup, lowfat/nonfat)........415 mg
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Yogurt (1 cup, lowfat fruited)........315 mg
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Ice Cream & Ice Milk (1 cup).......150 mg
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Frozen Yogurt (1 cup).........up to 200 mg
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Pudding & Custard (1 cup)..........150 mg
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* Based on 1998 Recommended Dietary Intakes
Non-Dairy Sources of Calcium
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Calcium (mg)
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1/2 c. Tofu*
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200-434
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1 c. Collard greens
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357
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3 oz. Sardines with bones
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350
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1 c. Fortified orange juice**
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300
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1 c. Fortified soy milk**
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300
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3 oz. Canned salmon with bones
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200
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1 T. Blackstrap molasses
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172
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1 c. Turnip or beet greens
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165-200
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1 c. Rutabagas, mashed
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115
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1 c. Soybeans, cooked
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175
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1 c. White beans, cooked
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130
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2 T. Tahini (sesame paste)
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120
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1 c. Broccoli, cooked
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90
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Reading a calcium food label
To translate "%" of calcium on a food label into milligrams,
multiply the number by 10. It is important to note this is *not*
the same calculation for each nutrient.
For example, a label reading:
15% calcium = (15x10) = 150 mg calcium
20% calcium = (20x10) = 200 mg calcium
Calcium
Consumer
News-- Facts and Answers
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