Agricultural Sciences

Penn State Nutritionist Offers Alternative Ways To Meet Calcium Requirements

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- The National Institute of Medicine has increased its recommended daily calcium requirements for all age groups older than age 8. And that means most consumers should be drinking a lot more milk, or at least seeking dietary alternatives containing calcium, says a nutritionist in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences.

"The old nutritional guidelines, which were called Recommended Dietary Allowances, were re-evaluated by the National Institute and adjusted upward," explains J. Lynne Brown, associate professor of food science. "The new guidelines, called Dietary Reference Intakes, have significantly raised the requirements for older adults."

Brown lists the new requirements in milligrams by age group, along with the equivalent milk serving required to meet the correct level.

Age Old level New Level Glasses of milk needed
Children 9-18 1,200 mg* 1,300 mg From 4 to 4 1/3
Adults 19-50 800 mg** 1,000 mg From 2 2/3 to 3 1/3
Adults 50-plus 800 mg 1,200 mg From 2 2/3 to 4

* The old recommendations were 800 mg for ages 7-10 and 1200 mg for ages 11-18.

** The old recommendations were 1000 mg for ages 19-24 and 800 mg for ages 25-50.

Brown says if followed, the new requirements could most benefit the diets of older Americans, pointing out that one 8-oz glass of milk contains 8 to 10 grams of protein. "If you're drinking four glasses of milk a day, that's 40 grams of protein," Brown explains. "The daily protein requirement for an older adult is 50 to 65 grams per day."

Brown adds that the Dietary Reference Intakes also call for increased daily requirements for Vitamin D, a nutrient that helps the body metabolize calcium efficiently. Brown says those age 50 to 70 must double their intake from 200 international units to 400 to meet those guidelines. Those older than 70 must triple their intake to 600 international units.

"People used to get most of their Vitamin D from sunshine, but as more people adopt sedentary lifestyles, they have to look into other sources, such as milk fortified with Vitamin D," Brown says.

Brown suggests several calcium-laden alternatives to milk for those who are lactose intolerant or just don't like drinking milk.

Cheese: One ounce of Swiss cheese contains about 270 mg of calcium. An ounce of cheddar has about 200 mg. "An ounce of cheese isn't very big, so this is a really efficient method," Brown says. "In some cases lactose intolerant individuals can digest cheese more easily than other products."

Yogurt: One cup of any kind of yogurt contains about 400 mg of calcium.

Calcium-fortified Orange Juice: "Consumers should look at the label, but many of the fortified juices have about 300 mg per serving," Brown says. "The citric acid in the juice allows the body to absorb the calcium more easily."

Tofu: Some types of tofu are made with calcium sulfate, which provides about 300 mg in a half-cup. "This is a very good calcium source for vegetarians, but consumers should look at the label to make sure it was made with calcium sulfate," Brown advises.

Dark green leafy vegetables: The best vegetables are kale, chard, mustard and other greens. "The calcium in leafy greens is released more easily if the vegetables are frozen," Brown says. However, spinach is not a good calcium source. Its calcium is tied up in an organic complex that can't be digested.

Fish: Brown says tinned sardines and mackerel, as well as canned salmon, contain calcium. Canned salmon is a good source of calcium if you mash and eat the bones.

Cereals: Some ready-to-eat cereals are fortified with calcium. Brown estimates the value to be about 50 mg per serving without the addition of fluid milk.

Regardless of the product, consumers must read the Nutrition Facts panel to really see what they are getting. "Remember, the percentage of calcium listed on the Nutrition Facts panel is based on 1000 mg of calcium," Brown explains. "Young adults and those over 50 will need more than 100% of the daily value for calcium."

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EDITORS: For more information, contact J. Lynne Brown at 814-863-3973.

Contacts: John Wall jtw3@psu.edu 814-863-2719 814-865-1068 fax

Last Updated March 19, 2009