Got calcium? Non-dairy food sources of calcium
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EmailWondering how you can ensure you meet your daily recommended intake of calcium without the use dairy foods?
You probably won’t doubt that calcium is essential for our health, especially bone health. Our body fluid needs to maintain a constant level of calcium to support many of our basic physiological functions. Calcium helps with muscle contraction, blood vessel contraction and expansion (related to your blood pressure level), and signaling process in nervous system. However, only one percent of total calcium in our body circulates in body fluids. Michigan State Univesrity Extension says that the majority of the calcium in our body deposits in bones and teeth, where it provides structural support and acts as a “savings account” from which calcium is frequently and repeatedly withdrawn and deposited.
From the “Got milk?” campaign to Choosemyplate “three servings of dairy a day,” it is likely that you have learned that dairy foods are rich in calcium. One cup (eight ounces) of milk has approximately 290mg of calcium, which is almost 30 percent of the daily intake recommendation (1,000mg for adults ages 19 through 50).
But think about this. Do you know someone that is lactose intolerance, someone from other cultures who does not use dairy products or someone who practices vegetarianism or veganism? Have you ever wondered how do they ensure their intake of calcium? What foods other than dairy can supply or supplement calcium in their diet?
There is no doubt that low-fat dairy foods are very nutritious. But dairy is not the only good source of calcium. You can find calcium in variety of vegetables, seeds/nuts, fortified food and foods often ate in other cultures.
Even if you consume dairy foods on regular basis, other calcium rich products may add varieties into your diet and help you cut down on saturated fat, cholesterol and even added sugar. Here we have some examples on non-dairy foods that are adequate calcium sources.
|
Foods |
Calcium Content |
|
Vegetables:
|
47mg 35mg 79mg 56mg |
|
Calcium Fortified Foods:
|
200-260mg 100-1,000mg 289mg |
|
Seafood:
|
324mg 181mg |
|
Seeds/Nuts:
|
75mg 168mg 214mg |
|
Other Options
|
275mg 56mg 121mg 82mg 241mg 149mg |
Finally, to better utilize your calcium, you may also want to consider:
- Maintain an optimal vitamin D level to assist the absorption of calcium
- Decrease the sodium intake to prevent loss of calcium in the urine
- Avoid calcium inhibitors (excessive coffee, alcohol, simple sugar)
- Avoid excessive oxalic acid rich foods, such as spinach, chocolate
- Engage in weight bearing exercise to reap the full benefits of calcium on the bones and muscles
