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" Calcium not only builds strong bones, it also helps prevent bone loss as we age. It may even ease PMS, ward off high blood pressure and prevent colon cancer. But most of us still don&amp;#039;t get enough of this essential mineral -- despite the ever-expanding array of calcium-enriched products and supplements now on the market. Below, we sort through the hype and clear up the facts. Q: How much calcium do I really need? A: Up until age 50, women (and men) need 1,000 milligrams per day, and 1,200 mg per day from then on. Some experts believe that postmenopausal women who aren&amp;#039;t on hormone replacement therapy actually need 1,500 mg per day. The average American, by contrast, consumes only 600 mg daily.  Q: Can I get what I need from food? A: Yes, but you have to work at it. Dairy foods are by far the richest source of calcium. For example, an eight-ounce glass of milk is packed with 300 mg; a six-ounce container of plain yogurt also contains about 300 mg; and an ounce of hard cheese (like Swiss) has 270 mg. A variety of vegetables -- especially the green leafy kind -- fruits and nuts also contain small amounts of calcium. But you would have to eat an enormous quantity to meet your daily calcium goal. Case in point: To match the calcium in a glass of milk, you&amp;#039;d need to down almost a cup of almonds or four cups of chopped, cooked broccoli! Of course, plenty of cereals, juices, snack bars and other foods are now fortified with calcium (see &amp;quot;Surprising Sources,&amp;quot; below). Even some convenience foods contain the mineral. But don&amp;#039;t assume that a food is healthy if it contains calcium; it could also be heavy in sugar and artery-clogging trans fats. So be sure to read the label.    Surprising Sources   Suddenly, calcium is in everything, from cereals to snack bars. Below, some common calcium-fortified foods and how much of the mineral each provides. Food Calcium (mg) General Mills Whole Grain Total cereal (3/4 cup) 1,000 General Mills Harmony cereal (1 1/4 cups) 600 Lactaid Calcium-Fortified Milk (1 cup) 500 Quaker Oatmeal Nutrition for Women (one packet) 500 Calcium-fortified orange juice (1 cup) 350 Clif Luna bar (one) 350 Nestl\u00E9 Fat Free with Marshmallows Hot Cocoa Mix (one packet) 300 Kellogg&amp;#039;s NutriGrain Cereal Bars (one)  200 Kellogg&amp;#039;s Eggo Waffles (two) 100 Q: I don&amp;#039;t like dairy foods. Can I get calcium from soy milk and tofu? A: Unfortunately, neither of these are good sources of the mineral -- unless they are fortified.  Q: How can I figure out how much calcium I&amp;#039;m consuming? A: Keep a food diary for a few days. For packaged foods, check the percent daily value for calcium on the label. (Remove the percent sign and add a zero to convert the daily value into milligrams. For example, 30% means the food has 300 mg of calcium.)  Determining the amount of calcium in produce or nuts isn&amp;#039;t as easy. You can consult nutrition books. If you&amp;#039;re not getting enough, you should probably take a supplement.  More Calcium Q&amp;amp;amp;A  Q: Is one calcium supplement better than another? A: There are dozens of brands and formulations on the market. Your best bet: a supplement that comes in the dosage you need, that you&amp;#039;ll take consistently and that you can tolerate. (Some supplements may cause gas or constipation, so you may have to experiment a little.) In the past, certain supplements had lead levels that exceeded federal standards, but recent studies suggest this is no longer a problem. To be safe, stick to major brands or to those that carry the USP (U.S. Pharmacopeia) mark on their label. This voluntary &amp;quot;seal&amp;quot; means the product has passed rigorous quality tests.  The most popular supplements are made from calcium carbonate or calcium citrate. Calcium carbonate -- which should be taken with food -- is highly concentrated and usually the best buy. You&amp;#039;ll find it in several formulations, including pills (500 to 600 mg each), candylike soft chews (500 mg each), chewable antacids such as Tums or Rolaids (about 200 to 270 mg per tablet) and a powder.  Unlike calcium carbonate, calcium citrate can be taken on an empty stomach. But because it&amp;#039;s less concentrated than calcium carbonate, each tablet has only about 300 mg of the mineral. (The pills are also big and can be hard to swallow.) And don&amp;#039;t rely on a multivitamin to meet your calcium quota. A single pill has just 100 to 200 mg, if any.  Q: When is the best time to take a calcium supplement? A: Whenever it&amp;#039;s most convenient. But since your body absorbs calcium best when you get 500 mg or less at a time, spread out your calcium intake throughout the day. For instance, if you have six ounces of yogurt and a glass of calcium-fortified orange juice for breakfast (about 550 mg), take the supplement later in the day.  Q: Does my supplement need to include other nutrients? A: No. But since many adults don&amp;#039;t get enough vitamin D, which is vital for calcium absorption, you may want a supplement that includes this vitamin. Though you can get it from a multivitamin, only a few foods -- like liver, salmon, mackerel and sardines -- are rich in vitamin D. And while milk is fortified with D, the levels may vary.  Q: Is it okay to take a calcium supplement if I&amp;#039;m on other medications? A: Usually it&amp;#039;s fine. But calcium can interfere with some medicines, like the antibiotic tetracycline and certain thyroid drugs, so you may need to take your supplement and medicine at different times. If you&amp;#039;re not sure, ask your doctor or pharmacist.  Q: Is calcium enough to keep my bones healthy? A: It&amp;#039;s the first line of defense against bone-thinning osteoporosis. But you also need to do regular weight-bearing exercise such as jogging or strength training. And neither cigarette smoking nor alcohol is good for your bones. So don&amp;#039;t smoke, and if you drink, do so in moderation.  Calcium Content Chart   How Much Calcium Is in Produce and Nuts?   Dairy products are by far the richest calcium source. But small amounts of the bone-building mineral can also be found in common vegetables, fruits and nuts. Here, a rundown of some. Food Calcium (mg) Fruits Apple, 1 medium 10 Banana, 1 medium 7 Cantaloupe, 1 cup 18 Cherries, 10 10 Figs (dried), 1 27 Grapes, 1 cup 18 Grapefruit, 1/2 14 Honeydew Melon, 1 cup 11 Kiwi Fruit, 1 20 Nectarine, 1 7 Peach, 1 5 Peach Slices (canned), 1/2 cup 6 Pear, 1 18 Pineapple (diced), 1 cup 11 Plum, 1 3 Raspberries, 1 cup 27 Raisins, 1/4 cup 18 Strawberries, 1 cup 20 Tangerine, 1 12 Watermelon, 1 cup 12 Vegetables Asparagus, 1/2 cup cooked 18 Broccoli (chopped), 1/2 cup cooked 36 Cabbage, 1/2 cup cooked 23 Carrots (sliced), 1/2 cup cooked 24 Cauliflower, 1/2 cup cooked 10 Celery (diced), 1/2 cup 24 Corn, 1/2 cup 2 Green Beans, 1/2 cup cooked 29 Kale, 1/2 cup cooked 47 Lettuce (looseleaf), 1 cup 38 Lettuce (iceberg), 1 cup 10 Mushrooms (sliced), 1/2 cup 0 Onion (chopped), 1/2 cup cooked 23 Okra, 1/2 cup cooked 50 Peppers (sweet), 1 medium 12 Potato, 1/2 cup cooked 6 Summer Squash, 1/2 cup cooked 24 Sweet Potato (mashed), 1/2 cup 35 Tomato, 1 6 Turnip Greens, 1/2 cup cooked 99 Beans Black Beans, 1/2 cup cooked 23 Chickpeas, 1/2 cup cooked 40 Pinto Beans, 1/2 cup cooked 41 White Beans, 1/2 cup cooked 80 Nuts Almonds, 1 oz. 75 Cashews, 1 oz. 13 Peanuts, 1 oz. 15 Pistachio Nuts, 1 oz. 31 Pumpkin Seeds, 1 oz. 16 Sunflower Seeds, 1 oz. 33 Walnuts, 1 oz.  28 "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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