Dietary Specificity of Dairy Products
Dairy products and milk are the primary sources of calcium in our nutrition, they represent 60 to 80% of our total calcium intake. They have the advantage of containing large amounts of calcium in a form that’s particularly well absorbed by the body.
In order to satisfy one’s daily needs of calcium, it is advised to have at least 3 dairy products per day. Without this minimum intake of a dairy product or milk 3 times daily, it’s very difficult to secure one’s needs of calcium. Children, teenagers, pregnant women and seniors are particularly concerned.
In practice
Calcium equivalence
You can get 150mg of calcium in…
- 125ml of full-cream or skimmed milk (half a glass)
- 1 yogurt
- 150g of cottage cheese
- 20 to 30g of cheese
But you would need…
- 3 French sticks or
- ½ Kg of oranges for the same quantity of calcium…
How to meet our required daily needs in Calcium?
Dairy products represent 60 to 80% of our needs in calcium
Age
|
Ca :mg/d |
Dairy products/day |
| Toddler 1-3yrs |
450 |
2 to 3 dairy products/day |
| Kid 4 –9yrs |
800 |
3 to 4 dairy products/day |
| Teenagers |
1200 |
4 to 5 dairy products/day |
| Adult |
900 |
3 to 4 dairy products/day |
| Pregnant/Breastfeeding woman |
1000 |
4 to 5 dairy products/day |
| Senior |
1200 |
4 to 5 dairy products/day |
ANC calcium table (mg/day) in France
(CNERNA/AFSSA, 2000)
If YOU DON’T LIKE TO DRINK MILK
There are many other ways in which you can find its benefits: Yogurts, Dairy products, Fermented milk, Ice creams, Flavoured milk, Milk-composed dishes such as gratins, creamy milk sauces, soufflé dishes, soups, custards, creams...
