Non-Dairy Sources of Calcium
What is the best way to get enough calcium, in your diet, when you don’t eat dairy?
Luckily it’s not that hard as there are plenty of great foods that are packed with calcium.
For men and women between 19 years of age and 50 (or 70 for men), the recommended dietary intake is 1000mg. For women over 50 and teenagers between 12 and 18 years it’s 1300mg.
Calcium is often adequately supplied by the diet, as it’s found in so many food sources, but it may cause deficiency symptoms because the body is actually lacking other synergistic nutrients such as vitamin D (increases calcium absorption and utilisation) and magnesium (also very important to have in the correct ratio with calcium to ewnsure calcium utilisation).
I usually recommend an hair, tissue, mineral test before supplementing with calcium, as excess calcium, that is out of solution and not doing it’s proper job, may cause other health problems such as heart and kidney issues.
Excessive caffeine, alcohol, salt, grains (due to phytates binding with calcium), lack of exercise and smoking can all reduce calcium in your bones.
List of non-dairy foods rich in calcium;
- Dark leafy greens
- Kale
- Fish with bones such as sardines and tinned salmon
- Tofu
- Almonds and almond milk
- Seeds such as sesame, sunflowers and pepitas
- Dandelion root
- Seaweed
