How much calcium should teenagers get daily? Ethel Lim, Dietitian, from the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH), answers.
Teenagers 10-18 years of age require approximately 1,000 mg of calcium per day in order to maintain strong bones and teeth.
“Calcium is also important for other body functions such as regulating heartbeat and muscle contractions,” says Ethel Lim, Dietitian, from the
Department of Nutrition and Dietetics at
KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH), a member of the
SingHealth group.
Excellent sources of calcium are predominantly available in dairy products such as milk, yogurt and cheese.
What does high calcium mean?
Milk products with ‘high calcium’ stated on its packaging will likely be fortified with additional calcium, such that each cup (250ml) of milk will contain 500mg of calcium. Without additional fortification, regular milk will likely contain between 250-300mg of calcium per cup.
Other fortified foods that are high in calcium include:
- ‘High-calcium’ soya milk
- Calcium-enriched 3-in-1 malt drinks
- High-calcium milk bread
It will be useful to check the labels of food products in order to determine the calcium content. The table below displays other foods apart from milk and dairy products that are good sources of calcium:
Tofu 
| 1 carton | 200 |
Chickpeas | 1 cup | 210 |
Sardine (including bones) | 1 medium | 250 |
Dried Figs | 5 | 140 |
Vitamin D helps you absorb calcium better
Adequate vitamin D is essential for optimal calcium absorption. Our bodies can get adequate vitamin D, mostly by exposure to the sun. Thus, it is important to spend 10-15 minutes outdoors every day (but avoiding the hottest periods from 11am-3pm to reduce risk of heat stroke or skin cancer).
However, for people with limited sun exposure, their diet becomes an important source of vitamin D.
Foods that are rich in vitamin D include:
- Milk
- Salmon
- Mackerel
- Sardines
- Eel
- Egg yolk
- Fortified margarine
Ref: M19
