Calcium is vital for bone and tooth health, functioning of the nervous system, muscle contraction, blood clotting and heart rhythm regulation. If you do not consume enough calcium through diet, your body will pull calcium directly from the stores in your bones. This puts you at risk for osteoporosis, fractures and disability. The best way to ensure healthy bones and good health is to eat a calcium-rich diet throughout life. Adults between the ages of 19 and 50 require 1,000 mg of calcium each day. Adolescents need 1,300 mg and adults older than 51 should take in 1,200 mg per day.
Step 1
Increase your intake of dairy products, such as milk, cheese and yogurt. Dairy is not only high in calcium, it contains calcium in a form that is easily absorbed and digested by the body, explains HelpGuide.org. If you limit your dairy intake due to a milk allergy or lactose intolerance, speak with your doctor about healthy, calcium-rich alternatives.
Step 2
Add blackstrap molasses to your waffles or pancakes at breakfast, or eat rolled oats or calcium-fortified cereal instead. Orange juice, which is also fortified with calcium, goes well with nearly any breakfast meal.
Step 3
Eat several servings of green, leafy vegetables every day. In addition to being a good source of vitamins and other nutrients, green vegetables are great dietary sources of calcium. Choose mustard or turnip greens as a side dish at dinner and snack on broccoli or Brussels sprouts at lunch. The World's Healthiest Foods website suggests seasoning vegetables with calcium-rich herbs, such as dill, oregano, parsley and rosemary.
Step 4
Add calcium-rich beans to soups, salads and stews to increase the calcium in your diet. Black beans, kidney beans, black-eyed peas and baked beans are all high in calcium and make a flavorful addition to nearly any dish. For even more calcium, sprinkle sesame seeds in with the beans, as they contain 351 mg per 1/4 cup serving.
Step 5
Substitute canned fish for meat and poultry to boost your calcium stores. Canned, pink salmon is very high in calcium, providing 181 mg of the mineral per 3 oz. serving with the bones intact. Other canned fish high in calcium include sardines and blue crab, according to the U.S. Department ofAgriculture
Step 6
Dip raw vegetables in yogurt or make a calcium-rich snack of almonds and Brazil nuts, all of which contain a considerable amount of calcium per serving.
Tips and Warnings
- Make sure you take in enough vitamin D while consuming a high-calcium diet. Vitamin D is necessary for the absorption of calcium inside the body. Limit your intake of calcium to no more than 500 mg per meal. Calcium is best absorbed in small doses, and amounts greater than 500 mg are wasted. The Vegetarian Resource Group recommends tofu, tahini, bok choy and tempeh as good calcium-rich alternatives to dairy products for vegans.
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