Calcium and Bone Health - Women's Health Zone

Girls can get plenty of calcium from food. It's found in a variety of good tasting foods like milk, yogurt, broccoli, and low-fat cheese. Many foods also have (extra) calcium added to them like orange juice, milk, breakfast cereals, cereal and other bars, and soy drinks. Be sure to check food package labels to see if they have added calcium. While not common, some girls might have allergies or other dietary restrictions, and can ask their health care provider about supplements. But, most girls can get enough calcium by eating the right types of foods.

While it is possible to get too much calcium, it is not likely for most girls. The recommended intake for girls aged 9-18 is 1300 milligrams of calcium per day. But, many girls in this age group do not get enough calcium. Some studies have shown that a typical girl gets only about 800 mg of calcium a day.

The chart below lists the calcium content of foods and drinks that many young girls like.

FOOD	PORTION SIZE	CALCIUM (Milligrams)*
Plain, fat-free yogurt	1 cup	450
Grilled cheese sandwich**	1 sandwich	371
American cheese	2 ounces	348
Ricotta cheese, part skim	? cup	337
Fruit yogurt	1 cup	315
Cheddar cheese	1-? ounces	305
Milk (fat-free or low-fat)	1 cup	300
Orange juice with added calcium	1 cup	300
Soy beverage with added calcium	1 cup	250-300
Tofu (made with calcium)	? cup (about five 1-inch cubes)	204
Macaroni and cheese	? cup	204
Cheese pizza	1 slice	111-147
Frozen yogurt (fat-free or low-fat)	? cup	105
Broccoli, cooked or fresh	1 cup	90
Ice cream	? cup	84
Bok choy, cooked or fresh	? cup	80
Almonds, dry roasted	1 ounce(About 20-25 almonds)	71
White bread	2 slices	70

* Calcium content varies depending on the ingredients of many foods.

**Using 2 slices of white bread, 1-? ounces of cheese, and nonstick cooking spray.