To increase calcium intake, which snack is best?

• A. A large apple.
• B. A cup of fruit-flavored yogurt.
• C. Twenty cheese-flavored crackers.
• D. An ounce of low-fat cream cheese on a bagel.

Answer: (B)

Calcium intake is best increased by choosing foods that deliver a high amount of calcium per serving, especially dairy products. Fruit-flavored yogurt provides a solid amount of calcium in a convenient snack, and many yogurts are fortified with vitamin D to aid calcium absorption, making it an efficient source overall. The large apple offers almost no calcium, so it won’t meaningfully raise calcium intake. Cheese-flavored crackers have some calcium, but the crackers themselves dilute the calcium density and portions can limit how much you get in a snack. An ounce of low-fat cream cheese on a bagel contains calcium too, but this combination isn’t as calcium-dense as yogurt, so it’s a weaker choice for boosting intake quickly.