You can increase the amount of calcium in your diet by eating more dairy foods. An eight ounce glass of milk has about 300 milligrams, or one-fourth of your daily need for calcium. To avoid adding fat and calories to your diet, buy skim or low-fat dairy products. Other foods high in calcium include green leafy vegetables, shellfish, sardines, oysters, brazil nuts, tofu, and almonds. If you do not like or cannot eat dairy foods, calcium supplements may make up for the calcium you don't get from food.
Calcium supplements come in tablet or liquid form.
Supplements vary widely in the amount of calcium they contain for the price. Supplements of calcium carbonate contain the highest amount of useful or elemental calcium. If you take a calcium supplement, be sure to take it with meals and drink six to eight glasses of water each day. Calcium helps build and maintain strong bones. Most adults need about 1,000 to 1,500 mg. each day.