Calcium is a mineral that strengthens your bones and teeth and makes sure that everything runs smoothly with your muscles and nerves. It's especially important for growth. Calcium can continue to add to the strength of your bones until you reach the age of 30-35, when peak bone mass is reached.

After this point, as a natural part of the ageing process, your bones lose their density and grow weaker. If you haven't had enough calcium in your diet prior to this, there's an increased risk that your bones won't be strong enough to cope with any weakening, which can result in the brittle bone disease, osteoporosis.

Health professionals estimate that one in three women and one in ten men suffer from osteoporosis, and there's concern that the diets of teenage girls and young women, in particular, aren't high enough in calcium. Some experts predict that the future could bring an osteoporosis epidemic in women.

Of course, if your diet excludes milk and dairy products or if you can't tolerate the milk sugar lactose, then you need to look for calcium alternatives. You can keep your bones healthy by:

	buying soya milks, yoghurts and cheeses enriched with calcium
	eating lots of dark green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, broccoli and watercress
	using almonds or sesame seeds as topping on salads, cereals or desserts
	snacking on dried fruits - apricots, dates and figs all contain small amounts of calcium
	if you're not vegan, adding sardines, prawns or anchovies to a main meal

The Department of Health recommends that both men and women get 700mg of calcium every day to ensure good health. Realistically, this means one of the following:

The good news is, if you're concerned about your weight, getting the calcium you need doesn't have to mean eating or drinking full-fat foods. There's exactly the same amount of calcium in skimmed milk as there is in whole milk. The same goes for low-fat yoghurt and reduced-fat cheese. You don't have to buy their full-fat counterparts to look after your bones.