Keeping your growing bones strong and healthy is important. Good nutrition and exercise can help prevent bones from getting weak. Calcium and vitamin D are two important nutrients that help build strong and healthy bones.
Why calcium?
Almost all the calcium found in the body is in your bones and teeth. Calcium is also found in the blood, where it plays many important roles in the body.
Your bones are like a bank. The calcium that you eat is put into the bone bank. The bone bank donates calcium to your blood to make sure blood levels always stay normal. If you do not eat enough calcium, the bone bank will become empty. It is very important to eat lots of calcium-rich foods to keep blood levels up while keeping your bone bank full and strong!
Why vitamin D?
Like calcium, vitamin D is very important for growing bones. It helps your body to absorb the calcium that comes from your food.
Vitamin D is also known as the "sunshine vitamin." Your body can make vitamin D with the help of the sun. Ten to 15 minutes a day in the sun without sunscreen during summer will provide you with the vitamin D you need.
But getting vitamin D from food and supplements is also important. It can be hard to get enough sun time when staying indoors, in the winter time and in the summer when wearing sunscreen. Sunscreen blocks the vitamin D made from the sun.
Vitamin D deficiency has been reported in some communities, especially among children.
You may not be getting enough vitamin D if:
- You have dark skin. Dark skin has more melanin, which interferes with vitamin D production.
- You live in a northern community. These communities go through long periods with little sunshine.
Please note that regardless of skin colour or where you live, dietary needs for vitamin D are the same.
Very few foods contain enough vitamin D and so a vitamin D supplement may be needed. Further down the page, there is a list of foods high in vitamin D. To find out how much vitamin D you need, read the table below and talk to your doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or dietitian as well.
Your dietitian may recommend a higher amount of vitamin D based on your medical condition and the medications you are taking.
Your dietitian recommends your daily vitamin D intake be: IU
How much calcium and vitamin D do I need every day?
This table lists the recommended daily amount of calcium and vitamin D children and teens should get each day. Calcium is measured in milligrams (mg) and vitamin D is measured in International Units (IU).
|
1 to 3 years |
700 mg |
600 IU |
|
4 to 8 years |
1000 mg |
600 IU |
|
9 to 18 years |
1300 mg |
600 IU |
Great high calcium ideas:
- Use milk instead of water when making soup or oatmeal.
- Make "smoothies" using yogurt, fruit, and milk.
- Try chocolate- or strawberry-flavoured milk.
- Try calcium-fortified orange juice.
- Dip fresh fruit into yogurt or veggies into cheese dip.
- Offer yogurt or pudding for a dessert or snack.
- Stock up on calcium-rich snacks such as cheese cubes, yogurt, tortillas, cereal with milk, and almonds.
- Try cooked soybeans (lightly salted).
- Add shredded cheese to tortillas, soup, and stew.
Food sources of calcium
Challenge of the day: Place a check mark next to the ones you tried and liked! Try to eat a variety of those foods each day.
Helpful Hint: Be sure to look at the serving sizes listed to know how much calcium you are eating.
Excellent choices: Foods with 200 to 300 mg of calcium per serving
|
Milk (whole, 2%, 1%, skim), chocolate milk, or lactose-free milk |
1 cup (250 ml) |
300 |
|
Calcium-fortified soy milk, such as Silk or So Good |
1 cup (250 ml) |
300 |
|
Orange juice fortified with calcium, such as Tropicana with Calcium or President’s Choice with Calcium |
1 cup (250 ml) |
300 |
|
Soybeans, cooked (sometimes called Edamame) |
2 cups (500 ml) |
350 |
|
Soybeans, roasted |
1 cup (250 ml) |
240 |
|
Yogurt, such as Danone’s Fruit on the bottom |
170 g (1 container) |
200 |
Very good choices: Foods with 100 to 200 mg of calcium per serving
|
Cheddar cheese |
1 oz (size of thumb) |
200 |
|
Mozzarella, Colby, or marble cheese |
1 oz (28 g) |
150 |
|
Cheese string |
¾ oz (21 g) stick |
150 |
|
Cheddar, processed spread (Cheez Whiz) |
2 tbsp (30 ml) |
180 |
|
Cream soups, such as cream of mushroom, broccoli, or chicken, prepared with milk |
1 cup (250 ml)) |
170 |
|
Salmon, canned with bones |
3 oz (85 g) |
190 |
|
Sardines |
4 medium (3 oz or 92 g) |
250 |
|
Processed cheese slices |
2 slices |
150 to 200 |
|
Pancakes or waffles made with milk |
3 |
140 |
|
Yoplait Yop yogurt drink |
200 ml (1) |
200 |
|
Petit Danone Drinkable yogurt, such as Danimals |
93 ml or 100 g (1 serving) |
100 |
|
Minigo or Petite Danone |
60 g (1 serving) |
150 |
|
Tofu, firm made with calcium |
1/4 cup (3 1/2 oz) |
125 |
|
Pudding, chocolate or vanilla |
1/2 cup (99 g) |
105 to 120 |
|
Almonds |
1/4 cup (60 ml) |
100 |
|
Almond butter (100% crushed almonds) |
2 ½ tbsp (35 ml) |
80 |
|
Hazelnuts, brazil nuts |
1/2 cup (125 ml) |
110 |
|
Cereal fortified with calcium, eg. Golden Grahams, Honey Nut Cheerios |
3/4 cup (175 ml) |
100 |
|
Frozen yogurt, plain soft serve |
1/2 cup (125 ml) |
100 |
|
Molasses, blackstrap |
1 tbsp (15 ml) |
170 |
Good choices: Foods with up to 100 mg of calcium per serving
|
Kraft Dinner, original (macaroni and cheese) |
1/2 cup (125 ml) |
200 |
|
Ice cream |
1/2 cup (125 ml) |
85 |
|
Figs, dried |
3 figs |
80 |
|
Orange |
1 medium |
55 |
|
Parmesan cheese |
1 tbsp (15 ml) |
55 |
|
Yoplait Tubes stirred yogurt |
60g (1 tube) |
60 |
|
Pancakes or waffles, frozen |
2 |
40 |
|
Tahini (sesame seed butter) |
1 tbsp (15 ml) |
60 |
|
Broccoli, cooked |
1/2 cup (125 ml) |
40 |
|
Kale, cooked |
1/4 cup (60 ml) |
45 |
|
Tortilla chips |
12 chips (50 g) |
60 |
|
Corn tortilla |
1, 6-inch (25 g) |
40 |
|
Molasses, regular |
1 tbsp (15 ml) |
40 |
|
Cream cheese |
1 tbsp (15 ml) |
20 |
Food sources of Vitamin D
The foods listed in this table are excellent sources of Vitamin D.
|
Salmon, canned, pink |
1 oz (28 g) |
130 to 215 |
|
Egg (yolk) |
1 |
20 |
|
Milk |
1 cup (250 ml) |
100 |
|
Orange juice fortified with vitanin D such as Minute Maid |
1 cup (250 ml) |
100 |
|
Fortified soy or rice beverage such as Silk or So Good |
1 cup (250 ml) |
100 |
|
Tuna, canned, light |
1 oz (28 g) |
70 |
|
Fortified margarine |
2 tsp (10 ml) |
60 |
|
Sardines |
1 oz (28 g) |
75 |
Calcium supplements
While it is best to get calcium from food, sometimes supplements are needed. Be sure to talk to your doctor, dietitian or pharmacist before beginning any supplementation. Let them know about any other medication you are taking.
For the best effects:
- Make sure calcium supplements are not taken at the same time as other medicine. The calcium may make other medications less effective. For example, calcium can make it hard for the body to absorb iron and antibiotics.
- Take no more than 500 mg of elemental calcium at one time.
What else can I do?
Limit pop or soda to once a day. Instead, drink milk, a milk fruit smoothie, or calcium fortified orange juice.
Like muscles, bones get stronger when we use them. Any kind of a weight-bearing activity is great! This is any exercise in which our feet and legs carry our weight. Walking, jogging, dancing, stair climbing, and skating are some ways to build your bones. Be sure to talk to your doctor about other activity ideas that are best for you.
You and your family
Your family can help you build strong bones by building strong bones too!
You and your family can:
- Share calcium-rich foods at family meals.
- Drink milk with every meal.
- Eat calcium-rich snacks.
- Get plenty of exercise.