Drink Your Milk. Milk Does a Body Good. Got Milk?
Alright already, so we know we are supposed to be getting calcium daily, and dairy products do contain this valuable mineral, but you can find calcium in many other foods including broccoli, almonds, salmon, and fortified orange juice. Try to get your calcium from the food you eat, rather than supplements, since a new study shows that it's better for your bones.
For women over the age of 19, we should be getting 1,000 mg of calcium a day. Calcium is essential for strong bones and teeth. It is also vital in daily body functions like muscle contraction and relaxation, blood clotting, and the transmission of nerve impulses. Our bodies do not produce it, so we need to get it from the foods we eat, or from supplements. If we don't get enough, our bodies will drain calcium from our bones, leading to osteoporosis.
Are you getting enough? To help you figure that out, I made a chart listing a variety of foods and the amount of calcium they contain. To check it out read more
| Food | Amount | Amount of Calcium in mg |
|---|---|---|
| Milk | 1 cup | 300 |
| Hard cheese (cheddar) | 1 oz | 240 |
| Nonfat or 1% cottage cheese | 1 cup | 155 |
| Plain yogurt | 6 oz | 290 |
| Ice cream | 1 cup | 218 |
| Tofu | 1/2 cup | 258 |
| Fortified soy or rice milk | 1 cup | 300 |
| Fortified orange juice | 1 cup | 300 |
| Black beans | 1/2 cup | 38 |
| Pinto beans or chick peas | 1/2 cup | 40 |
| Sesame seeds | 2 tbsp | 180 |
| Tahini (sesame seed butter, used to make hummus) | 2 tbsp | 130 |
| Almonds | 1/4 cup | 93 |
| Almond Butter | 2 tbsp | 86 |
| Brazil nuts or hazelnuts | 1/4 cup | 55 |
| Bok choy | 1/2 cup | 75 |
| Kale | 1 cup | 94 |
| Broccoli | 1 cup | 178 |
| Celery | 1 cup | 54 |
| Cooked green beans | 1 cup | 58 |
| Cooked butternut squash | 1 cup | 84 |
| Cooked sweet potato | 1 cup | 70 |
| Naval orange | 1 medium | 56 |
| Raisins | 2/3 cup | 53 |
| Dried figs | 5 medium | 135 |
| Sardines (canned) | 8 medium | 370 |
| Salmon | 3 oz | 180 |
| Oysters (canned) | 1/2 cup | 60 |
| Shrimp (canned) | 1/2 cup | 40 |
Can you get too much calcium? Yes, if you are consuming more than 2,500 mg a day from food and/or supplements, it can interfere with the absorption of zinc, iron, and magnesium. It may also increase the risk of kidney stones. So check your diet and make sure you're getting the right amount.
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Im glad this list posts calcium in veggies and other sources besides DAIRY because I dont eat dairy!
1love the picture with the broccoli! it looks like i'm not getting enough. i should run out and get some orange juice since it gives you so much calcium. i will be having tofu with broccoli and tahini later and i can maybe also throw in some bok choy. the soy milk i have is fortified with calcium too so that'll help.
2I'm right there with you, glasbash6260. It's so weird that there's such a huge push for us to drink milk when only a small percent of the world is actually lactose TOLERANT. Thanks for the chart, sugar.
3Wow, thanks for this helpful list!
4i seriously need more calcium =\
5I have a question - when you drink calcium fortified drinks (like orange juice with calcium) isn't it the same as taking a calcium supplement (which Fit just said isn't as good as getting calcium from food)? I mean it's not "natural" calcium found in orange juice... just wondering? Does anyone know the answer?
6syako- I'd imagine it's easier for your body to absorb in a liquid instead of a pill, but I'm just guessing. You also need vitamin D to help absorption, so if you're drinking your fortified OJ and not getting enough vitamin D you still won't get the full effect. I'm a dairy junkie and I take chewable supplements, so I'm pretty sure I'm good.
7thanx so much 4 d table. i m calcium deficient n this will help me 4 sure.
8oh cool, salmon also contains calcium!
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