How to Have Yours Each Day

Calcium researchers recommend three to four servings of high-calcium milk products, containing about 300 milligrams of calcium per serving, per day. About 1 cup milk, 1 cup yogurt or 1 1/2 ounces hard cheese are the best examples. Here are some sources from "The Calcium Key" (Wiley, 2004):

FOOD AMOUNT CALORIES CALCIUM

(GRAMS)

Buttermilk 8 ounces 91 264

Nonfat milk 8 ounces 86 301

Dry skim milk 3.5 tbls. 80 330

Brie cheese 1.5 ounces 142 78

Cheddar cheese 1.5 ounces 171 307

2% cottage cheese 1 cup 203 155

Hard parmesan 1 ounce 111 336

Plain nonfat yogurt 1 cup 127 451

Low-fat fruit yogurt 1 cup 225 313

Other tips:

• Check the Nutrition Facts Panel on your food label. A good source of calcium contains at least 30 percent of your daily requirement. Also, check the calories and saturated fat: How many calories or saturated fat grams does it take to get more calcium from the food? For people watching their health or weight, the more nutrient-dense and the lower in calories and saturated fat, the better.

• If you're lactose-intolerant, remember yogurt is usually tolerated and cheese contains no lactose. You can also try lactose-reduced products or drink smaller amounts of regular milk products through the day.

• A note to vegans: Protein researcher Donald Layman says the equivalent of one cup of dairy milk would be 1 1/2 cups of calcium-fortified soy milk, in terms of the amount of leucine, an amino acid. No studies have been published on soy products and weight loss.

-- Katherine Tallmadge