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Food & Bone Health
Lauren's Story | Nutrient Intake Information | Links
Here is Lauren's story about food and bone health…
I have a family history of osteoporosis: my grandmother had a number of broken bones, and because of that my mother has been very conscious about her own risk for breaking bones. So, before I had anything to do with this project, because of this family history and because I am post-menopausal, I knew I should be concerned with the food choices that I make.
My grandmother probably knew nothing about food choices for bone health. My mother relies on supplements and medication, but I believe I should be able to get everything I need from food.
As women, we know we should be making food choices for our own sake, but we don’t always do so. When I go shopping at the grocery store, I hardly think about foods for my bone health. When I choose a food, I think: Is it healthy? Will the family eat this? These are my day-to-day realities.
When I think about my personal food intake, I wonder if I am getting enough calcium and vitamin D. But it seems to be very hit and miss with calcium-rich foods. I have a general idea of what foods I should be eating for my bones, but I have no ideas on quantity or which foods would be the better choices.
I pick up information from the media, but what I tend to remember is what fits into my lifestyle. And there is so much information available to us these days from a variety of sources! Often we hear conflicting information and it gets confusing to sort it all out.
My intake of calcium in the past had just been a shot in the dark! If you want to take your bone health seriously, you can determine if you are getting enough calcium and vitamin D by reading on about the calcium and vitamin D recommendations and food sources. For more detailed information, visit the websites that follow.
Nutrient Intake Information
The first 2 tables below provide the current recommended daily intake for calcium and vitamin D for men and women who are 19 years of age and older. The Calcium Calculator™ can help you see if you are getting enough calcium in your diet each day. In addition to the vitamin D provided through diet, all adults over 50 years of age should take 400 IU of vitamin D in a supplement each day. The last 2 tables list more common foods that are rich sources of calcium and vitamin D.
If you are uncertain about meeting your need for calcium and vitamin D, talk with a dietitian. If you live in British Columbia, Canada, Dietitian Services at HealthLinkBC (formerly Dial-a-Dietitian) is a phone call away. This free service allows you to ask a Registered Dietitian any nutrition-related question. They offer interpreter services in 130 languages! Call toll-free from anywhere in British Columbia 1-800-667-3438, or if you live in the metro Vancouver area call 604-732-9191. If you live outside British Columbia, check with your local health services to see if there is a similar service available to you.
Recommended Calcium Intakes for Adults
For a list of calcium and vitamin D recommendations for people of all ages, click here. Please note that the recommendations for vitamin D intake are currently under scientific review and may be increased in the near future.
| Healthy Women and Men |
Age |
Calcium Intake |
| 19-50 years |
1000 mg each day |
| 51 years and older |
1200 mg each day |
Recommended Vitamin D Intakes for Adults
Healthy Women and Men |
| Age |
Vitamin D Intake |
| 19-50 years |
5 µg each day |
200 IU each day |
| 51-70 years* |
10 µg each day |
400 IU each day |
| 70 years and older* |
15 µg each day |
600 IU each day |
| *People over the age of 50 years should take a supplement of 400 IU of vitamin D each day, in addition to the vitamin D you get in your foods and beverages. |
µg or mcg = micrograms
Note: If you use supplements, IU (International Units) is used on supplement containers to provide the amount of Vitamin D present in each dose. One microgram is equal to 40 IU. When microgram is present on a supplement container, it is abbreviated µg or mcg. |
Food Sources of Calcium & Vitamin D
For a longer list of calcium-containing foods, click here.
| Calcium-rich foods |
| Food |
Amount |
Milligrams per Amount* |
| Beverages |
| Cow's milk (fluid, powdered reconstituted, chocolate) |
250 mL (1 cup) |
300 |
| Cow's milk (evaporated, canned) |
125 mL (1/2 cup) |
330 |
| Fortified/enriched soy and rice beverages |
250 mL (1 cup) |
300 |
| Fortified orange juice with calcium added |
250 mL (1 cup) |
300 |
| Yogurts |
| Yogurt (plain) |
175 mL (3/4 cup) |
300 |
| Yogurt (flavoured) |
175 mL (3/4 cup) |
200 |
| Cheeses |
| Firm cheese - regular or low fat (for example: Cheddar, Swiss, Emmental, Gruyere, Marble) |
50 g (4x3x3 cm)
(about the size of 4 dice) |
350-500 |
| Fresh cheese - regular or low fat (Ricotta) |
125 mL (1/2 cup) |
350 |
| Soft and semisoft cheese - regular or low fat (for example: Gouda, Mozzarella, Provolone, Monterey Jack, Oka, Feta, Havarti, Fontina) |
50 g (4x3x3 cm)
(about the size of 4 dice) |
250-350 |
Soft and semisoft cheese - regular or low fat (Brie, Camembert) |
50 g (4x3x3 cm)
(about the size of 4 dice) |
150 |
| Hard cheese - grated (for example: Parmesan, Romano) |
25 mL (2 Tbsp.) |
115 |
| Fresh cheese - regular or low fat (for example: Cottage cheese, Quark) |
125 mL (1/2 cup) |
75 |
| Tofu, Fish, Green Vegetables |
| Tofu, firm or medium firm, made with calcium (look for the calcium in the ingredient list on the label) |
150 g (3/4 cup) |
350 |
| Canned salmon (with the bones, drained) |
105 g (1/2 can) |
250 |
| Canned sardines (with the bones, drained) |
55 g (1/2 can) |
200 |
| Asian green vegetables, cooked (for example: bok choy, gai lan) |
125 mL (1/2 cup) |
65 |
| Kale, cooked |
125 mL (1/2 cup) |
50 |
*Note: These are approximate values. Source: Health Canada. Canadian Nutrient File
Abbreviations: mL = millilitres; g = grams; oz. = ounces; Tbsp. = tablespoon |
| Vitamin D-rich foods |
| Food |
Amount |
IU per Amount* |
| Beverages |
| Cow's milk (fluid, powdered reconstituted, chocolate) |
250 mL (1 cup) |
100 |
| Cow's milk (evaporated, canned) |
125 mL (1/2 cup) |
100 |
| Fortified orange juice (read the label, most orange juices do not have vitamin D added) |
250 mL (1 cup) |
100 |
| Fortified/enriched soy and rice beverages |
250 mL (1 cup) |
90 |
| Yogurt |
| Yogurt (read the label, most yogurts do not have vitamin D added) |
170 g (6 oz.) |
40-80 |
| Fish & Seafood |
| Salmon: Sockeye (canned) |
105 g (1/2 can) |
800 |
| Salmon: Pink (baked or broiled) |
75 g (2.5 oz.) |
765 |
| Salmon: Sockeye, Chinook (baked or broiled) |
75 g (2.5 oz.) |
675 |
| Oysters: Atlantic or Pacific (baked or broiled) |
75 g (2.5 oz.) |
240 |
| Halibut: Pacific or Atlantic (baked or broiled) |
75 g (2.5 oz.) |
145 |
| Sardines: Atlantic (canned in oil) |
53 g (1/2 can, 1.8 oz.) |
45 |
| Tuna: (canned in water or oil, drained) |
60 g (1/2 can, 2.1 oz.) |
25 |
| Margarine, Eggs |
| Margarine |
10 mL (2 tsp.) |
50 |
| Egg yolk |
1 large |
25 |
*Note: These are approximate values. Source: Health Canada. Canadian Nutrient File
Abbreviations: mL = millilitres; g = grams; oz. = ounces; tsp. = teaspoon |
Selected Reliable Websites
(download PDF, 50 KB)
Health Canada – My Food Guide
This interactive tool allows you to estimate the number of servings of foods you eat each day and compare your results with the current recommended number of servings for your age and gender profile. You can create and print out a copy of your own personal food guide! Use this personalized information to guide you toward making healthier food choices.
Osteoporosis Canada
Beyond offering further information regarding foods, exercise and supplements for bone health, this website provides basic information about the diagnosis of and possible treatment options for osteoporosis. You can use the Calcium Calculator™ to estimate your daily calcium intake. Try some of the calcium-rich recipes! They also offer a toll-free bilingual information line: 1-800-463-6842 English and 1-800-977-1778 French.
BC Women’s Hospital and Health Centre – Osteoporosis Program
The BC Women’s Hospital and Health Centre offers a clinic for women who have a doctor’s referral and have been diagnosed with osteoporosis or osteopenia with several risk factors. They also offer 2 to 3 osteoporosis education classes each year that do not require a doctor’s referral. Check with the health centre for the dates of these education classes. Health professionals from the Osteoporosis Program have developed the Osteofit exercise program. Osteofit classes are available at community centres throughout British Columbia. Check with your local community centre to see if they offer these classes. The Osteoporosis Program website provides downloadable resources on osteoporosis.
BC HealthFile – Food Sources of Calcium and Vitamin D
This is a guide to food sources and recommended intakes of both calcium and vitamin D. If you think that you are not consuming enough vitamin D and calcium in the foods that you eat, then you may want to also check the Calcium and Vitamin D Supplements HealthFile.
Dietitian Services at HealthLinkBC (formerly Dial-a-Dietitian)
If you live in British Columbia, Dietitian Services at HealthLinkBC is a one-stop resource for asking any nutrition-related questions you have to a Registered Dietitian at the other end of the phone line. They offer translation services in 130 languages! Call toll-free from anywhere in BC 1-800-667-3438, or if you live in the metro Vancouver area call 604-732-9191. You can also view links and download quality food and nutrition resources about bone health and many other health issues from the website.
Women’s Health Matters
This website offers up-to-date information, news and research on aspects of women’s health and lifestyle issues. The website content is reviewed by experts at Women's College Hospital, an affiliate of the University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
EATracker
This assessment tool is offered by Dietitians of Canada and allows you to track your daily food intake and physical activities and compare your results to Health Canada’s recommendations.
Health Canada – Canadian Nutrient File
If you are interested in learning which nutrients are found in different foods, or foods that contain richer sources of particular nutrients, this is the site for you! It is a user-friendly database to find the nutritional content of foods. You can select the portion size of the food that you want to analyze. |
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