Dicom Inside Health: Maintain Your Health With Calcium

There are a growing number of people that no longer can get calcium from milk, eggs and cheese either because they are vegans, vegetarians or lactose-intolerant. Calcium is an essential need in the wellness of the human body. Calcium is best known for bone strength and formation but also aids in muscle contraction, blood clotting and allowing the nerves to function properly.

While calcium is necessary for health, dairy is not the only way to get the amount that your body needs. One excellent source is leafy green vegetables such as kale, spinach, turnip, collard and mustard greens. For example ¾ cup of collard greens has the same amount of calcium as one cup of milk. To optimize your calcium intake from these leafy greens eat cooked rather than raw.

Tofu that has been calcium fortified is another great source of non-dairy calcium, especially for vegetarians or vegans. Soybeans and soy nuts can also provide a healthy amount of calcium when eaten regularly.

For those that are not vegetarian or vegan, there are other nutritional options for calcium than milk. Cheese and yogurt, although dairy products, tend to be better digested by those that are lactose intolerant. They also carry a large part of your daily calcium intake. Soy or rice milk and orange juice provide similar amounts of calcium than do cow’s milk.

There are other calcium-rich foods that can be added to recipes for increased calcium in your diet. Black-eyed peas in your soup or Baked Beans as a side dish are two examples.
Black molasses is also high in calcium, not normally the ingredient you’d use by itself but the molasses can be added to soups, stews and barbecue sauce as well as used to make muffins and ginger cookies. Rice and soy milk can be used in baking but also when making mashed potatoes and pancakes. It’s easy to incorporate these items in small ways that will make a big impact on your overall calcium intake.

Nuts and seeds also can add calcium to your diet. Almonds especially are a good source of calcium. Nuts do have a high fat content, though a nutritious type of fat, and can work as a great source of calcium and balanced diet.

With a rise in our desire for health and wellness, there are a multitude of recipes and resources that can be found online. With some simple integration of the foods we talked about, you can ensure that you get the calcium that you need without using cow’s milk as the source. Start working on a healthier lifestyle today by incorporating more calcium into your diet.