As most people know calcium is found mostly in the bones and teeth, however it is also involved in other processes in the body. Women need around 1000-1200 mg of calcium each day in our diet.

Milk and other dairy products are the most common sources of calcium. One cup of milk or yogurt contains around 300 mg of calcium. An ounce of cheddar cheese about 200 mg. So yes, that means that to get enough calcium you should drink around 3.5 – 4 cups of milk each day. Or yogurt and some cheese.

When someone suggests green vegetables for a calcium source, keep in mind that one cup of cooked spinach has only around 250 mg and one cup of cooked broccoli has less than 200 mg. If you do the math you will see that you would need to eat an awful lot of cooked spinach or broccoli to get the needed amount of calcium. Four cups of milk each day would be a lot easier to drink than to eat 4 or more cups of cooked spinach.

For people who are lactose intolerant, lactose free milk is available in most areas and aged cheeses have very little lactose. For those who are allergic to milk or don’t eat animal products supplements may be needed.