Non-Dairy calcium

JoLo27
JoLo27 Posts: 54 Member
edited November 28 in Food and Nutrition
I'm on a dairy-free diet and am struggling to get anywhere near the RDA of calcium. I've looked online at the various non-dairy sources but most of them don't contain that much. Can anyone help with any tips or recipe ideas please? Thanks.

Replies

  • RuNaRoUnDaFiEld
    RuNaRoUnDaFiEld Posts: 5,864 Member
    I'd take a supplement, lack of calcium is not a good thing. Especially if you are female.
  • Colorscheme
    Colorscheme Posts: 1,179 Member
    edited January 2016
    Apparently almond, cashew and coconut milk contain more calcium than regular milk. Like, thirty to forty percent of your RDA. So you can try drinking that instead. I put almond and cashew milk in smoothies.
  • simplycidalia
    simplycidalia Posts: 46 Member
    Non-dairy milks, as mentioned above. Also, I believe there are now fortified orange juices as well. And canned sardines and salmon, if you eat fish, are high in calcium.
  • Noreenmarie1234
    Noreenmarie1234 Posts: 7,492 Member
    I basically get like way over daily calcium just with almond milk, luna bars, broccoli, non-dairy cheese, coconut milk etc. Most non dairy milks and cheeses have just as much if not more milk than their dairy laden counterparts.
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,097 Member
    Soy milk, in addition to the other non-dairy milks specifically mentioned.

    Collard greens, in addition to other greens mentioned.

    If you eat tofu, you might compare different brands and varieties for calcium content, because in addition to the calcium naturally found in the soybean, the process used to turn the soymilk into soymilk curds is sometimes done with a calcium-based salt, but sometimes other coagulants are used that don't contain calcium. Thus, some tofu will have more calcium than others.

    And to get a good amount of calcium from canned salmon and sardines you should eat the kind packed with the bones -- they're very soft, and if you make cooked salmon cakes you'll probably barely notice them. (I will admit that since I eat dairy products and don't rely on salmon and sardine for calcium, I usually buy the kind without bones, but I have eaten the kind with bones, and I thought it was OK. I'm really not a picky eater, though--I'll eat almost everything you might find in an American restaurant or grocery store except raw fish and connective tissue, e.g., tendons, which is in some Chinese dishes, and tripe or chitterlings, which might not technically be connective tissue but seems to be the same consistency).

    These are all good things (including those mentioned by other posters) to include in your diet (in the sense of "the stuff that you eat"). If you're looking for just one food to give you all your calcium in just one or two servings, that might be the wrong focus (although you could get close with a couple of full glasses of non-dairy milk). Even if you did that, you'd still want most days to have a serving or two of greens (spinach, broccoli, kale, etc.), a serving or two of a concentrated protein source (which could include tofu, beans, or salmon), maybe some nuts as part of a snack, etc., and that can all add up.

    The biggest problem I see with relying on a supplement is that studies have found that a large percentage of supplements don't have the ingredients they say they have, and some actually have dangerous ingredients. The reports I've seen have emphasized more the problems with "natural" and "herbal" supplements, but have also implied problems with more traditional vitamin and mineral supplements. So if you go that route, try to pick a well-known, reputable brand (or alternatively, the store brand if you shop at a major grocery or pharmacy chain).
  • MelaniaTrump
    MelaniaTrump Posts: 2,694 Member
    edited January 2016
    Did you know a one a day for women's vitamin has 50% of your RDA for calcium? Along with other nutrients needed for absorption such as boron, vitamin D, copper, magnesium, K, etc.
  • JoLo27
    JoLo27 Posts: 54 Member
    Thank you all for taking the time to reply. It's really helpful advice. I'm going to look at coconut milk as I'm allergic to almonds and I can definitely make smoothies with that. Lots of other ideas too. Thanks!
  • 00EmilyJo00
    00EmilyJo00 Posts: 64 Member
    Almond and cashew milk are my favorites :)
  • Colorscheme
    Colorscheme Posts: 1,179 Member
    Almond and cashew milk are my favorites :)

    I bought some cashew milk because it was 2 cartons for $4, which was cheaper than buying the big container of almond milk. I'm looking forward to trying it.
  • SelfHelpJunky
    SelfHelpJunky Posts: 205 Member
    Chia seeds!!! Lots of other great stuff in there, too.
  • Zinka61
    Zinka61 Posts: 563 Member
    In addition to all of the above, there is calcium/vitamin D fortified orange juice.
  • ClubSilencio
    ClubSilencio Posts: 2,983 Member
    White beans have more calcium than other beans. 1 cup = 200mg

  • debrakgoogins
    debrakgoogins Posts: 2,033 Member
    Not everyone is a fan but sardines are very high in calcium.
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