The food industry has made a big effort to respond to the calcium deficiency that Americans may face. Products fortified with calcium have been growing in number over the years. Dairy foods are a major source of calcium. Milk, cheese, yogurt and ice cream are popular food items containing calcium. Lactose intolerance, which may affect up to 25% of all Americans, can affect calcium intake. If the lactose intolerant avoids dairy products, they must make an extra effort to satisfy their calcium requirements. Some producers are marketing lactose-free milk products, fortified with calcium. Even among children who are not calcium intolerant, milk consumption has declined with the availability of many other beverages. This is especially a problem among teenage boys, who seem to prefer soft drinks to milk.

In addition to the amount of calcium a food product contains, the rate the body can absorb the calcium is also important. Some forms of calcium are easier to absorb than other forms. Calcium in milk is absorbed at a rate of 32%, radishes at 74% and spinach at 5%. In addition, certain other elements, such as vitamin D and phosphorus, affect the absorption of calcium. Data suggest it is best to ingest calcium throughout the day, rather than at one time. This suggests it is best to obtain calcium through the normal diet, rather than through calcium supplements.

It is believed that calcium intake early in life can help one later on in life. Consequently, it is best to make a regular habit of eating calcium-containing foods from childhood. This will help reduce the risk of osteoporosis. Bone loss is a cumulative effect, so preserving bone integrity in childhood and through adolescence will help when one reaches an older age. The RDA for calcium changes with age and is currently set at 1300 mg per day for 9-18 year olds, 1000 for 19-50 year olds and 1200 for 51 and older individuals. Lower estrogen levels in older women accelerated bone loss so they may require additional calcium.

Product labeling normally lists products with 10% of the RDA as "calcium-enriched", products with 10-19% of the RDA as "good source of calcium" and products with more than 20% of the RDA as "high in calcium", though these are not required indications.

Food producers must consider many factors in fortifying products with calcium, including solubility, cost, taste and absorptive. Orange juice is an easy product to fortify, especially if it is not clarified, since insoluble calcium can be easily suspended in it. Calcium carbonate, calcium citrate and calcium lactate are three of the ingredients used in the food industry to fortify products.

It is interesting that milk contains calcium and other minerals in a similar proportion as bones. Both milk and bones contain twice as much calcium as phosphorus, along with trace minerals including magnesium, potassium, zinc and copper. This should come as no surprise since ALLAH, Subhanahu wa ta'ala, has made mother's milk a readily available and inexpensive supply of food and nutrition for newborns. In fact, the Quranic guidance to nurse babies for two years, if they continue to accept it, provides a solid foundation for proper growth.

Common sense suggests one should eat a healthy diet including foods from the four food groups; exercise; and get enough rest. This is the way the Creator intended for us to lead our lives. World pressures and temptations have made that difficult for many people, so we seek shortcuts to achieving a healthy life. The best way to do that is to follow the Divine guidance and partake of the good and pure foods that have been provided.

"O ye who believe! Eat of the good things that We have provided for you and be grateful to ALLAH, if it is HE ye worship." (Al Baqara: 172) (Information from "Calcium's Role," from the January 2001 issue of Food Product Design magazine, by Suanne Klahorst, associate director of the California Institute of Food and Agricultural Research (CIFAR) at the University of California-Davis. Copyright 2001, Weeks Publishing Company.)