Calcium and exercise

If you exercise most days, a diet with adequate calcium is very important for your overall health.

Calcium is vital to keep bones and teeth healthy. A diet with adequate calcium intake includes milk, low-fat yoghurt, small amounts of cheese, tinned bony fish such as salmon and sardines, pulses, almonds and green leafy vegetables.

Requirements for females:

• 14–18 years: 1300mg

• 19–50 years: 1000mg

• 51 years and over: 1300mg

Requirements for males:

• 14–18 years: 1300mg

• 19–70 years: 1000mg

• 71 years and over: 1300mg

Good sources of calcium:

• 1 cup Trim milk = 375mg

• 1 cup Calci Trim or Xtra milk = 500mg

• 150g pottle unsweetened yoghurt = 180mg

• 40g Edam cheese = 308mg

• 1/4 cup cottage cheese = 37mg

• 1 can sardines (100g) = 550mg

• 1 can baked beans (425g) = 51mg

• 10 almonds = 30mg

• 1 cup cooked broccoli = 59mg