Calcium is essential for the growth and repair of bones throughout life. A concern, then, for both children and adults with lactose intolerance, is getting enough calcium in a diet that includes little or no milk. In 1997, the Institute of Medicine released a report recommending new requirements for daily calcium intake. How much calcium a person needs to maintain good health varies by age group. In planning meals, making sure that each day's diet includes enough calcium is important, even if the diet does not contain dairy products.
Many nondairy foods are high in calcium.
Green vegetables, such as broccoli and kale, and fish with soft, edible bones, such as salmon and sardines, are excellent sources of calcium. Recent research shows that yogurt with active cultures may be a good source of calcium for many people with lactose intolerance, even though it is fairly high in lactose. Evidence shows that the bacterial cultures used in making yogurt produce some of the lactase enzyme required for proper digestion. However, factors other than calcium and lactose content should be kept in mind when planning a diet. They contain substances called oxalates, which stop calcium absorption.