If your mother told you to drink your milk to become strong, she was right. Dairy is high in calcium. But greens like Chinese cabbage, kale, collards, and broccoli have calcium, too. So do soft-boned canned fish - pink salmon and sardines. If you don’t get enough calcium, you boost your chances of osteoporosis, a disease that makes bones weak.

While growing inside the womb, a baby needs lots of calcium to grow its bones. It’s especially important during the last 3 months. If you don’t get enough calcium, the baby will get what it needs from your bones.  When pregnant or breastfeeding, you need to eat calcium-rich foods. Talk to your doctor about supplements.  The good news: Any lost bone usually comes back after giving birth or after breastfeeding.

Most kidney stones are made of a type of calcium called calcium oxalate. The calcium in foods doesn't cause them. (But too much calcium from supplements may make kidney stones more likely.) Bottom line: Get the recommended amount of calcium -- not too much, and not too little.

Yogurt has a slight edge over low-fat milk. An 8-ounce cup of plain yogurt will give you about a third of your daily calcium needs. Calcium content can vary, so check food labels to be sure you’re getting enough. Orange juice and almond, rice, and soy milks that are fortified with calcium are also good sources. If you drink anything that has calcium added, remember to shake the container first; the calcium can settle to the bottom.

Children and teens ages 10 to 20 are growing quickly, and so are their bones. So they need a lot of calcium -- at least 1,300 milligrams a day. They could get that amount from 2 cups of milk, 1 cup of calcium-fortified orange juice, and 1 cup of yogurt daily. Adults typically need a little less -- at least 1,000 milligrams of calcium a day.

Calcium is one of the most important minerals in your body. Almost all is stored in your bones and teeth. But you lose calcium every day through your skin, sweat, hair, and other bodily functions. Your body can’t make calcium, so you need to get it from food or supplements.

Your body needs calcium for building bones and keeping them healthy. But calcium does other things, too. You need it to move your muscles and to help nerves carry messages between your brain and parts of your body. Calcium also helps blood vessels move blood throughout your body and helps release hormones and proteins.

Vitamin D and calcium are partners. Your body can’t absorb calcium without vitamin D, which you can get from the sun and some foods. Fatty fish like wild tuna and salmon are good sources of vitamin D, but many people need to take supplements. Talk to your doctor if you’re wondering if you get enough Vitamin D.

You should take some calcium supplements with food, but not all. The two most common kinds are calcium carbonate and calcium citrate. Calcium carbonate costs less and works better when taken with food. Calcium citrate is more expensive but can be taken with or without food.

You won’t do yourself any favors by taking calcium supplements in large doses. Calcium absorbs best when you limit yourself to 500 milligrams at a time.