You do not have to consume dairy to get a sufficient amount of calcium in your diet. Sorry to burst your bubble, but you don’t need to drink cow’s milk or eat any dairy foods to get the calcium you need.
If you are considering a vegan / strict vegetarian diet, but you fear that you won’t get the calcium you need, have no fear. There are plant foods that are high in calcium, so there is no need to worry about calcium.
Did you know that there are foods that are high in calcium and they are not from the animal kingdom? Yes, the powers that be, would have you believe that you have to drink milk and eat other dairy foods to get your calcium, but you don’t.
Foods and Calcium Amount
Calcium in 100 Calories of:
- bok choy – 1,055
- turnip greens – 921
- collard greens – 559
- kale – 455
- romaine lettuce – 257
- tofu – 236
- milk – 194
- broccoli – 182
- sesame seeds – 170
- soybeans – 134
- cucumber – 108
- cauliflower – 88
- carrots – 63
- fish – 38
- eggs – 32
- T-bone steak – 5
- pork chop – 2
( Source
As you can see, plant foods are high in calcium. You can easily get the amount of calcium you need without drinking or eating dairy foods.
I am not a registered dietician. I am only sharing information that I have read. If you have further questions about this, please consult a professional.
nice post thanks i got to have new idea….! we have a lot of moringa here in my country in phil.it is also very nutritious vegetable i think rich and Containing more than 90 nutrients and 46 antioxidants, these vivid green leaves are nature’s super-power food. 14x more calcium than milk…. what a great substitutes ….
I’ve heard a lot about moringa and I didn’t realize the calcium content. Thanks for sharing!
Equally important, especially for vegans, is to be sure you get a sufficient of vitamin D, as well. Vitamin D helps the body to absorb calcium, in addition to other things.
Hey Bill,
Thanks for sharing the info about vitamin D!
Take care,
Evelyn
Hi Evelyn
What I learned at college when I was doing some nutrition studies, is that calcium is not readily bio-available in plant foods, so you need to add a squeeze of lemon (as being mildly acidic) to extract the most calcium from greens and you need to be careful not to drink tea with your meal because whatever is in tea binds with iron and does not allow it to be absorbed.
I don’t drink milk and I only eat cheese or yogurt occasionally but I do take a good liquid nutritional supplement as a safeguard.
Hi Jan,
I didn’t know that about lemon. Thanks for sharing the information.
Take care,
Evelyn
Evelyn, you are absolutely right about this. If you think about it for a moment, where do cows get so much calcium, after all? They eat their greens! Here’s a list from one of my favorite websites rating food sources of calcium:
http://whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=45
Hi Jon-Erik,
Yeah, so true about the cows eating their greens. 😉
Thanks for sharing the link.
Take care,
Evelyn
Most of the foods we eat (including vegan foods and dairy products) contain good amount of calcium. If possible add dates (easily available) in your daily diet. Custard apple is one of the richest plant source of calcium.
Hey Jupitor!
Thanks for sharing that information.
Take care,
Evelyn
Health is wealth, that’s why i’m always thinking of nutritious foods.
Hi Martha,
You’re right! Health is wealth.
Take care,
Evelyn
Too many people worry about the nutrients on a micro level, instead of just eating a balanced diet. Even a vegan diet can get you the amount of essentials you need if you have a wide variety of foods each day.
Hey Johnny!
You’re so right! Variety is the key.
Thanks for sharing!
Evelyn