Get your calcium fix without dairy!
Jun 19, 2022
By Sophia McDermott, Lifestyle Coach & Fitness Expert.
Calcium is ESSENTIAL for strong bones and teeth as well as many other functions in the body such as regulating blood pressure, muscle contraction, release of hormones and nerve signals. We reach peak bone mass in our twenties after which bone mass declines. Sufficient dietary calcium will help reach a high bone mass and slow the decline. Here are my go-to foods that are high in calcium.
- Calcium fortified plant milks: look for brands that have >100mg calcium per 100ml milk
- Tahini and almond butter: Yes sesame seeds and almonds are good sources too but a tbsp almond butter or tahini has more than a tbsp of nuts (purely due to the condensed nature of the product)
- Blackstrap molasses: A great alternative to honey or maple syrup
- Dark green leafy vegetables: kale, broccoli, bok choy, chinese mustard greens, turnip greens (while spinach is high in calcium it is incredibly poorly absorbed - you virtually get no calcium out of it due to the high oxalate content)
- White beans or chickpeas: soaked and cooked or canned and washed and drained
- Sardines, mussels or canned salmon with bones: Obviously not if you’re vegan, but great if you just avoid dairy!
- Dried Figs: The best when it comes to fruit for calcium.
