Your body needs calcium to build strong bones when you are young and to keep bones strong as you get older.
Getting calcium from foods is best, but if you don’t eat enough foods with calcium, you could take a calcium supplement (pill). Options include taking a multivitamin with calcium or a pill that contains only calcium. Talk to your doctor before you start taking any supplements.
Food Sources of Calcium:
Yogurt - plain non-fat
Mozzarella cheese - part-skim
Milk - non-fat or low-fat
Soymilk - calcium fortified
Orange juice - calcium fortified
Salmon - pink
Cottage cheese - 1% milk fat
Other plant-based sources of calcium:
Green leafy vegetables - Kale, collard greens, spinach, arugula, swiss chard
Cruciferous vegetables - broccoli, Bok choy, and turnips
Fruits - oranges, tangerines, kiwi and papaya
Nuts and seeds - almonds, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, chia seeds and sesame seeds
Beans and lentils - also high in magnesium, an essential mineral to help absorb calcium