Calcium Content in Whole Milk
One cup (8 oz or 237 mL) of dairy whole milk contains 300 mg of calcium. 1
Nutritional Context
Whole milk (3.25% fat) provides 300 mg of calcium per 8 oz serving, which represents approximately 30% of the daily value for calcium 1
This calcium content is consistent across different fat levels of dairy milk: nonfat milk provides 316 mg, 1% milk provides 300 mg, 2% milk provides 300 mg, and whole milk provides 300 mg per 8 oz serving 1
The calcium in milk exists in highly bioavailable forms including calcium caseinate, micellar calcium phosphate, and soluble calcium, which contribute to superior absorption compared to calcium from plant sources 2
Intervention studies in Japanese women demonstrated that calcium absorption from milk exceeds that from small fish and vegetables, attributed to the presence of lactose (which promotes calcium absorption), casein-phosphopeptide (which increases soluble calcium fraction), and the specific types of calcium present 2
Meeting Daily Calcium Requirements
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend 3 cups (710 mL) of dairy per day for adults on a 2000-kcal diet, which would provide approximately 900 mg of calcium 1
For children aged 9-18 years, 4 dairy servings per day are required for mean calcium intake (approximately 1540 mg/day) to exceed the Adequate Intake level 3
For adults aged 51+ years, 3 dairy servings per day are required for mean calcium intake (approximately 1241 mg/day) to exceed the Adequate Intake level 3
Clinical Considerations
Milk serves as a rich source of calcium along with other essential nutrients including high-quality protein (8g per cup), phosphorus, vitamin A, vitamin D (101 IU when fortified), potassium (410 mg), and vitamin B-12 1
The calcium-to-protein ratio in milk is optimized for calcium retention, with studies showing that milk consumption significantly lowers 24-hour urinary calcium excretion by approximately 0.65 mmol/day compared to other calcium sources 4
Despite providing substantial calcium, meta-analyses of cohort studies found no overall association between milk intake and hip fracture risk in women (pooled RR per glass daily = 0.99; 95% CI 0.96-1.02), though more data are needed in men 5