The main mineral in bones is calcium, one of whose functions is to add strength and stiffness to bones, which they need to support the body. To lengthen long bones during growth, the body builds a scaffold of protein and fills this in with calcium-rich mineral. Bone also needs vitamin D, to move calcium from the intestine to the bloodstream and into bone. Also needed are vitamin A, vitamin C, magnesium and zinc, as well as protein for the growing bone scaffold. Mother Nature provides many foods with these nutrients.
Milk is rich in calcium and high-quality protein.
Nearly all U.S. milk has vitamins D and A added. And it has magnesium and zinc. Still, as excellent as milk is for bones, it and other dairy products are not the only foods that contain calcium. The importance of choosing calcium sources from the different food groups is that each group offers its unique package of other nutrients as well. To learn how much calcium is in a food, you can read the food label's Nutrition Facts panel.