Milk types and their contribution to daily sodium and calcium intake

Low calcium consumption and high sodium intake among adolescents is a serious public health problem. Thehigh content and bioavailability of calcium in milk makes it the best choice for meeting the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) for calcium. Since milk also contributes to sodium intake, programs promoting milk consumption should be preceded by initiatives to reduce its sodium content. Knowing the calcium and sodium content of processed milk is essential for establishing the adequate consumption of milk. The aim of this study was to estimate the calcium and sodium content of different brands of powdered and ultra heat treated (UHT) milk sold in supermarkets in Rio de Janeiro and calculate the amount of these milks that should be consumed by adolescents to meet daily calcium needs and the impact of this consumption on sodium intake. Volumetric analysis was used to measure calcium content and sodium content was determined using flame photometry. The mean calcium and sodium concentrations of powdered (mg/26g) and UHT milk (mg/200ml) were 262.5 ± 5.1 mg and 116.8 ± 3.1 mg and 246.0 ± 10.3 mg and 162.5 ± 16.3 mg, respectively. Milk intake sufficient to meet the DRI for calcium among adolescents would result in a sodium intake of 584 mg (39% of the AI) from the consumption of powdered milk and 812.5 mg (54% of the AI) from the consumption of UHT milk.