Eat calcium-rich foods
Get two or three calcium sources a day to support your bones, from dairy or from fortified and plant foods.
- How often
- Daily
- Time
- Part of meals
- Recommended for
- 6 factors
How to do it
- Aim for the recommended intake: 1,000 mg a day for adults 19 to 50 and men 51 to 70; 1,200 mg for women from 51 and everyone from 71.
- Dairy is the easiest route: 8 ounces of plain low-fat yogurt has about 415 mg, a cup of milk about 300 mg, and 1.5 ounces of part-skim mozzarella about 333 mg.
- If you skip dairy, use calcium-set tofu (about 253 mg per half cup), calcium-fortified orange juice or soy drink (about 349 mg per cup for juice), and cooked kale (about 94 mg per cup).
- Canned fish with soft bones counts too. Three ounces of sardines has about 325 mg, and canned pink salmon with bones about 181 mg.
- Spread sources across the day rather than all at once.
Why it helps
Almost all of your body's calcium is in your bones and teeth, and you keep drawing on it and replacing it throughout life. Getting enough, along with vitamin D, helps limit bone loss as you age.
Be careful
Calcium from food is the safest choice. Supplements can cause gas, bloating and constipation, and they can interfere with some medicines, including levothyroxine, some antibiotics and lithium. The upper limit is 2,500 mg a day up to age 50 and 2,000 mg after that. Check with a doctor or pharmacist before supplementing.
Recommended for
Dancing
Jumps, turns and hours on the balls of your feet.
habitIntermittent fasting
Eating only in a set window, or skipping food on certain days.
hobbyPickleball
Quick lateral steps, sudden lunges and plenty of falls on hard courts.
habitPlant-based diet
Vegan or vegetarian eating, built on beans, grains, nuts and produce.
hobbyRunning
Thousands of footstrikes a week, mostly through your shins, knees and feet.
hobbySwimming
Thousands of overhead strokes, chlorinated water and wet ears.