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Animal Foods That Are Rich in Calcium

Calcium is an essential nutrient found in a variety of animal byproducts that are popular in diets in the United States. According to the National Institutes of Health, many Americans do not receive the recommended intake of calcium from food, particularly females.

  1. Function

    • Calcium is essential for strong bones and teeth as well as muscle contraction, secretion of hormones and enzymes, and expansion and contraction of blood vessels.

    Intake

    • The Food and Nutrition Board has established an Adequate Intake level for calcium at 1,000 mg for adults 19 to 50 years old and 1,200 mg for adults older than 50.

    Dairy

    • Dairy products, such as milk, cheese and yogurt, are top sources of calcium and are the major contributors of the nutrient in the U.S. diet. Other milk byproducts such as ice cream, cottage cheese and frozen yogurt are also good calcium sources.

    Seafood

    • Calcium is also found in some seafood, most notably salmon, sardines, prawns, scallops, raw oysters, mussels and canned crab.

    Meat

    • Most meat contains only small amounts of calcium. The best meat sources include tripe, chicken, beef sausage and pork sausage.

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