It’s no secret that calcium-rich foods help build strong bones and teeth, and help keep them strong throughout your life. Unfortunately, many people fall short of the daily recommended amount. In fact, 60% of women aren’t getting enough.1 Children aged 2–5 years fair better, with about 17% not consuming the recommended daily amount of calcium.1 However, roughly 55% of kids aged 6–12 years aren’t getting enough.1
The Daily Value (DV) on the food label is 1,000 mg. So, if the label indicates that a food contains 20% DV, it has 200 mg. All Big G Kid Cereals are a good source of calcium with at least 100mg of calcium per serving, or 10% of the DV.
Here’s a calcium guide to help you and your family understand what you need:
| Life Stage Group | Estimated
Average
Requirement (mg/day) | Recommended
Dietary
Allowance (mg/day) |
| 1-3 years old | 500 | 700 |
| 4-8 years old | 800 | 1,000 |
| 9-18 years old | 1,100 | 1,300 |
| 19-50 years old | 800 | 1,000 |
| 51-70 year old males | 800 | 1,000 |
| 51-70 year old females | 1,000 | 1,200 |
| 71+years old | 1,000 | 1,200 |
| 14-18 years old, pregnant/lactating | 1,100 | 1,300 |
| 19-50 years old, pregnant/lactating | 800 | 1,000 |
(Institute of Medicine. Calcium Dietary Reference Intakes, National Academy of Sciences, 2010.)
How can I be sure my child is getting enough calcium?
Milk and milk products are considered the best food sources of calcium. These foods which are high in calcium also have nutrients, like vitamin D, that help the body absorb calcium. According to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, recommended amounts of fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products are 3 cups per day for adults and children and adolescents ages 9 to 18 years, 2½ cups per day for children ages 4 to 8 years, and 2 cups for children ages 2 to 3 years.
Here are a few ideas for adding extra calcium sources to your diet:
- Substitute low-fat yogurt for mayonnaise or sour cream in salad dressings.
- Stir in nonfat dry milk powder to soups, hot cereal, cocoa or orange juice.
- Make a trail mix with your favorite General Mills Big G Kid Cereals, almonds and dried fruit.
- Sprinkle low-fat shredded cheese over casseroles, potatoes or vegetables.
- Top baked potatoes with low-fat yogurt and chives.
- Whip plain low-fat yogurt and shredded cheese into mashed potatoes.
Calcium Content of Selected Calcium Rich Foods
Dairy Products
| Food | Amount | Calcium (mg) |
| Milk, low-fat fluid 1% milk fat | 1 cup | 300 |
| Yogurt, Yoplait® Original | 6 oz | 500 |
| Cheese, semisoft and hard | 1 oz | 150-225 |
| Pudding, cooked (made from package) | ½ cup | 150 |
| Frozen yogurt, nonfat | ½ cup | 100-110 |
| Ice cream | ½ cup | 70-100 |
| Cottage cheese | ½ cup | 70-100 |
Fruits and Vegetables
| Food | Amount | Calcium (mg) |
| Orange juice, calcium-fortified | 1 cup | 300-350 |
| Rhubarb, frozen, cooked with sugar | ½ cup | 175 |
| Turnip greens, frozen, cooked, boiled, drained | ½ cup | 125 |
| Turnip greens, cooked, boiled, drained | ½ cup | 100 |
| Spinach, cooked, boiled, drained | ½ cup | 120 |
| Broccoli, cooked, boiled, drained | ½ cup | 30 |
| Orange | 1 medium | 50 |
Grains and Other Calcium Rich Foods
| Food | Amount | Calcium (mg) |
| Rice, white, long-grain, parboiled, enriched, prepared | ½ cup | 15 |
| Big G Kid Cereal, without milk | 3/4 cup | 100 |
| Molasses, blackstrap | 1 Tbsp. | 170 |
| Oatmeal, fortified, instant, prepared with water | 1 packet | 140 |
| Almonds | 1 oz. (24 nuts) | 75 |
(USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference.)