Calcium calculator

This handy calculator will tell you how much calcium you need each day, and the list of foods will show you how easy it is to achieve it.

It can be surprisingly easy to get your daily calcium requirement if you know what products contain calcium and how much they contain.

The general rule of thumb is that 2-3 servings of dairy a day will keep your calcium intake at about the right level. One serving equals a 250ml glass of milk, a 125-150g pottle of yoghurt, or two slices (40g) of cheese. For someone who loves milk, drinking 2-3 glasses a day is easy to achieve. But it can be easy for non-milk lovers too.

Now that you know how much calcium you need, use the list and examples below to work out how easy it is for you to get the calcium you need.

You’ll see that some milks and yoghurts contain substantially more calcium than others – so by making smart purchases, you can reduce the amount you need to consume whilst still getting all the calcium.

Example 1

• 1 x cup calcium-fortified breakfast cereal with 200ml calcium-fortified milk = 600mg+
• 1 x smoothie made with 250g Trim, extra calcium milk = 500mg

Total for the day = 1100mg+

Example 2

• 1 x Up & Go = 400mg
• 1 x salmon and cheese sandwich using whole grain bread = 450mg
• 2 x slices (40g) cheddar or Edam cheese = 280-310mg

Total for the day = 1130mg+

Example 3

• 1 x cup calcium-fortified breakfast cereal with 200ml calcium-fortified milk and 1 x pottle of yoghurt  = 800mg+
• 1/2 cup spinach at dinner = 130mg

Total for the day = 930mg+

Calcium content in milks

• 200ml glass of calcium-enriched trim milk (yellow lid) = 400mg
• 200ml glass of Trim milk (green lid) = 265-300mg
• 200ml glass of Super Trim or extra trim milk (light green lid) = 280-300mg
• 200ml glass of Lite milk (light blue lid) = 250-280mg
• 200ml glass of calcium enriched soy milk = 240-320mg
• 200ml glass of calcium enriched rice milk = 100-240mg

Other foods containing calcium