Non-Dairy Sources of Calcium

Lactose intolerant? Thinking of going vegan? Don’t like the high calories and/or taste of dairy products? Discovered that the leader of the opposition political party owns a large dairy farm? If you’re thinking about giving up dairy, for whatever reason, one of your greatest challenges will be locating non-dairy sources of calcium. Not to worry, dairy-forsaking reader, that’s why I get paid the big bucks.

Most people know that calcium (and its cousin, vitamin D) is responsible for bone health as it provides basic bone structure. However, most do not realize that calcium helps our nerves communicate with our muscles and other various body parts. It also assists our blood vessels in moving blood throughout our bodies and helps with the release of numerous enzymes and hormones that affect various bodily functions. Finally, our bones and teeth store 99% of our calcium. When we do not consume enough calcium for nerve and blood vessel health, our bodies “steal” it from our bones which can lead to osteopenia (low bone mass), osteoporosis (fragile and porous bones), and increased risk of fractures.

So how much calcium do we need? Well, it depends on your age and gender. Generally, we all need at least 1,000 milligrams per day, while post-menopausal, pregnant and lactating women need 1,200 mg. Those most at risk for not consuming enough calcium are boys between 9 and 13, girls 9-18, women over 50, and men over 70. Ten million adults over the age of 50 in the U.S. do not get their daily recommended amount of calcium. Thus, we see that even those that do consume dairy products STILL do not get enough calcium. However, all is not lost. Here are a variety of healthy, non-dairy sources of calcium…

• Canned sardines in oil. These salty, slippery suckers pack 330 mg of calcium in just 3.75 ounces. You are not required to swallow them whole. Chop them up and add them to a salad or with pasta to add some salty texture.
• Calcium fortified soymilk delivers 300 mg of calcium in one 8-ounce glass. It also is a good source of protein.
• Tofu with calcium sulfate (Mmmmm, calcium sulfate infused tofu) packs 275 mg of calcium in just half a cup. It’s also a great source of protein.
• Calcium fortified orange juice, aside from giving you tons of vitamin C, also contains 300 mg of calcium in an 8-ounce glass. Just look for the calcium fortified label on the package.
• Collard greens will grant you 268 mgs of calcium per cooked cup and is also a good source of vitamin A.
• Kale will imbue you with 95 mg of calcium for every cooked cup you eat. It will also imbue you with vitamins C, A, and K (for Kale?)
• Figs, of the dried variety, deliver 120 mg of calcium per half cup and are a good source of fiber, potassium and magnesium.
• Canned salmon contains 230 mg of calcium and a massive 38 grams of protein per half can.
• For every cup of this starchy vegetable you get 82 mg of calcium. It is also a great source of fiber, folate and vitamin B6.
• Almonds, aside from being high in calories are also high in calcium, containing 75 mg per ounce. They are also packed with vitamin E and potassium.
• White beans are a vegan’s/vegetarian’s dream as they are a great source of fiber, protein, iron and potassium. Oh yeah, they also contain 63 mg of calcium for every half cup.
• Edamame, which is immature soybeans still in the pod, will give you 100mg of calcium per cup and it is considered a complete protein as it contains all nine essential amino acids.
• Broccoli will give you a ton of vitamin C as well as 86 mg of calcium for every two cups you eat.

There you go, thirteen healthy, non-dairy sources of calcium. So, go ahead, dump dairy, there are plenty of calcium alternatives out there. Moo.