The Best and Worst Sources of Calcium
We grow up hearing, “Drink your milk! You need more calcium.” Yes, we need sufficient calcium, but is milk the best source? However, if you ask (and we did) the nutritionists at our parent company Nutritional Weight & Wellness, they would say no and we'll explain why. We'll also share a list of calcium rich foods to incorporate in your diet and what to look for in quality calcium supplements.
The Dairy Myth
The United States has one of the highest rates of dairy consumption, yet according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation about 54 million Americans have osteoporosis and low bone mass. Wait, that doesn't make sense— if we eat so much dairy why do so many individuals have low bone mass?
Recent research in the Journal of Osteoporosis International and research done at Harvard has debunked the idea that we need to consume dairy for strong bones. Many countries where very little dairy is consumed have some of the lowest rates of osteoporosis. In fact, we did just fine without dairy for most of human history.
Other Calcium Rich Foods:
At Nutritional Weight & Wellness, the parent company of NutriKey we always believe food should be the first source of nutrients in our diet and, therefore, food is the best source of calcium for bones. But if you're dairy-free do not fret; you can get adequate calcium from vegetables like broccoli, leafy greens, sardines, canned salmon with the bones and nuts.
Try our delicious Crunchy Broccoli Salad and Kale Salad to boost your calcium intake.
If you're a fan of sardines (in our experience you either love them or hate them) try the Sardine Salad with chickpeas.
Here's a great list of calcium sources we recommend adding to your own favorite recipes or dishes.
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Sardines (canned with bones) 3 ounces provides 325 mg
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Kale (raw): 1 cup provides 90 mg
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Okra (raw): 1 cup provides 81 mg
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Bok choy: 1 cup provides 74 mg
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Almonds: 1 ounce provides 74 mg
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Broccoli (raw): 1 cup provides 42 mg
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Watercress: 1 cup provides 41 mg
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Collard greens (cooked): 1 cup provides 266 mg
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Salmon (canned with bones): 3 ounces provides 180 mg
Worst Sources Of Calcium: Fortified Foods and Calcium Carbonate
So, we covered why dairy and milk are not the best sources of calcium, especially if you are dairy intolerant.
You may be wondering about those commercials for “freshly-squeezed” orange juice fortified with calcium. Is that a good source of calcium? Not so much, and here’s why.
Calcium Carbonate:
The calcium found in orange juice is calcium carbonate. Unfortunately, many calcium supplements also contain this same form of calcium. Calcium carbonate is the cheapest and least absorbable form of calcium available.
You read that right – even though you’re drinking calcium in your juice, your body isn’t able to absorb that form. What a waste! Plus, orange juice is full of sugar. Although it’s natural sugar, drinking a 16-ounce glass of orange juice has just as much sugar as a can of soda.
Calcium Deficiency - Common Reasons to Supplement with Calcium
What are some symptoms of calcium deficiency? What areas of health do good sources of calcium support?
Take a look at this list:
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Bone health, including osteoporosis, osteopenia, or osteomalacia (softening of the bone)
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Relaxation and sleep
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Muscle cramps
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Low dietary intake of calcium
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Poor digestive health and/or history of years of antacids (this can cause poor absorption of nutrients)
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Taking other nutrient-depleting prescription drugs
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Menopausal women due to decreased estrogen production, which reduces calcium absorption
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Bone development in pregnancy and preventing pregnancy-induced hypertension and preeclampsia
That leads us to ask who should take calcium? If you can relate to anything in the above-mentioned list, you may want to consider taking calcium.
That leads us to who should take calcium? If you can relate to anything in the above-mentioned list, you may want to consider taking calcium.
Two specific groups should be supplementing for sure.
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Anyone concerned about bone health: we've all heard that calcium is one of the main minerals that makes up bone composition. It is, in fact, the most abundant mineral in the body and crucial for bone structure. Nearly 99% of the body's calcium is stored in bones and teeth. If you've recently had a bone scan and results have shown osteopenia or osteoporosis, or if the disease runs in your family, it's a good idea to take a calcium supplement to help prevent osteopenia and osteoporosis.
To learn more, listen to our podcast Dishing Up Nutrition as we did a comprehensive show on Preventing Osteoporosis. Studies have shown that calcium supplementation has a positive effect on bone mineral density and reduces rate of fractures. -
Anyone suffering from poor sleep: Calcium is useful for sleep since it helps the brain use tryptophan, to manufacture melatonin, which and is our sleep-wake cycle hormone.
Calcium benefits us in other ways, too. For example, research shows that calcium helps prevent muscle cramps and spasms and helps protect against colon cancer, according to The Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
If you want to learn even more about calcium, listen to our Dishing Up Nutrition podcast about Important Minerals.
Which Calcium Supplement is Right for You?
So if you've decided to supplement with calcium, what form is most absorbable and beneficial? Here are our top picks...
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Key Osteo Plus is our comprehensive supplement developed for bone health. It's ideal for anyone who has osteopenia or osteoporosis. Not only does it contain calcium, Vitamin D and magnesium, but it contains other vitamins and minerals needed to support building bone. It contains enough vitamins and minerals that it doubles as a multivitamin. It comes in two convenient packets for the morning and evening.
Scroll down on this page for a helpful video explaining Key Osteo Plus even more.
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Activated Calcium is our go-to calcium supplement. It's a unique product that's formulated to be easily absorbed, effective and protective. This is getting a bit technical, but since the body can only absorb 500 milligrams of one source of calcium at one time, we created this supplement with four different forms of calcium, so that you can absorb 500 milligrams of calcium from each form. This is a great choice if you're already taking vitamin D and magnesium.
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Activated Cal-Mag is a great option if you want to supplement with both calcium and magnesium. It also contains Vitamin D3 and phosphorus. Calcium, magnesium and Vitamin D work synergistically in the body and promote optimal absorption of one another. This supplement also contains phosphorus, which along with the calcium, vitamin D and magnesium, helps with bone mineral density, bone remodeling and muscle function.
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Activated Chewable Calcium is ideal for those who only need to add a small amount of calcium. There's only 300 mg of calcium in 3 tablets. This is also good for those have a difficult time swallowing capsules and tablets.It has been formulated with calcium as MCHC, which is a highly absorbable form of calcium, along with a very small amount of magnesium and Vitamin D. The vitamin D and magnesium help with the absorption of calcium. This comes in a chocolate flavor.
How much calcium do you really need?
The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for average needs is 1000 mg for men ages 18-70 and women ages 18-50, and 1200 mg for men ages 71 and above and women ages 51 and above.
If you're not sure what supplement or dosage is right for you we can help? Our dietitians and nutritionists at Nutritional Weight & Wellness will recommend both food and supplements based on YOUR needs during a virtual one-on-one nutrition counseling appointment.
Recap Of Good Sources Of Calcium
While dairy has historically been promoted to be one of the best sources of calcium, you can get actually get adequate calcium from salmon, sardines, almonds, and vegetables like broccoli and leafy greens.
Adding a variety of these good sources of calcium to your meals and snacks will help you provide your body with the right amount you need.
If you have symptoms of calcium deficiency or are struggling with osteoporosis, osteopenia, or sleep, you might benefit from quality calcium supplements. Good sources of calcium supplements are products labeled with calcium citrate, calcium malate, and calcium glycinate.
Avoid products that contain calcium carbonate and work with a registered or licensed dietitian to help you come up with a plan that’s right for your body and health needs.
For more information on calcium, check out these resources:
LISTEN:All About Calcium – Ask a Nutritionist - What calcium supplement should I take? Do I get enough calcium from my diet? Calcium is just for our bones, right? How much calcium should I take? Britni goes over all you need to know about calcium supplementation.
READ: Foods For Osteoporosis– want strong and healthy bones? Real food to the rescue! Find out what nutrients you need (calcium included) to help strengthen and protect your bones.
READ: Top Osteoporosis & Bone Health Supplements–our top recommendations on supplements to support your bones.
References
Ho-Pham LT, Nguyen PL, Le TT, Doan TA, Tran NT, Le TA, Nguyen TV. Veganism, bone mineral density, and body composition: a study in Buddhist nuns. Osteoporos Int. 2009 Dec;20(12):2087-93. doi: 10.1007/s00198-009-0916-z. Epub 2009 Apr 7. PMID: 19350341.
Shea B, Wells G, Cranney A, et al. (2002) Meta-analyses of therapies for postmenopausal osteoporosis. VII. Meta-analysis of calcium supplementation for the prevention of postmenopausal osteoporosis. Endocr Rev 23:552.
Chapuy MC, Arlot ME, Duboeuf F, et al. (1992) Vitamin D3 and calcium to prevent hip fractures in the elderly women. N Engl J Med 327:1637.
Chapuy MC, Pamphile R, Paris E, et al. (2002) Combined calcium and vitamin D3 supplementation in elderly women: confirmation of reversal of secondary hyperparathyroidism and hip fracture risk: the Decalyos II study. Osteoporos Int 13:257.
Dawson-Hughes B, Harris SS, Krall EA, Dallal GE (1997) Effect of calcium and vitamin D supplementation on bone density in men and women 65 years of age or older. N Engl J Med 337:670.