Calcium is a vital mineral at every stage of life, helping to build strong bones and teeth, prevent bone degeneration, and assist your body in blood clotting and muscle contraction. Milk and other dairy products are well-known calcium-rich foods, but if you suffer from a milk allergy or lactose intolerance, you might not know how to get the calcium your body needs. Fortunately, calcium is found in thousands of non-dairy foods, many of which boast more of this essential nutrient than milk.
Step 1
Eat a variety of calcium-rich vegetables in salads, snacks and side dishes. Leafy greens such as spinach, kale, collards and turnip greens are packed with calcium and are a healthy alternative to plain lettuce salads.
Step 2
Choose calcium-fortified foods over non-fortified alternatives. Orange juice, oatmeal, cereal and soy milk come in calcium-fortified versions and are sold at most supermarkets.
Step 3
Work seafood into your diet several times per week. Sardines, canned salmon, canned blue crab, canned clams and farmed rainbow trout offer calcium; eat fish with the bones whenever possible for a big calcium boost.
Step 4
Increase your intake of beans and peas. Black-eyed peas, white beans, navy beans, soybeans, pinto beans and green peas are just some of the foods in the legume family that contain significant amounts of calcium. Beans and peas are tasty and easy to include in your diet; add peas to stir-fries, stir a few cans of beans into your chili, serve baked beans as a weekly side dish and put refried beans in your tacos, burritos and quesadillas.
Step 5
Take a calcium supplement if your diet doesn't provide the daily recommended amount. Calcium carbonate supplements should be taken with meals while calcium citrate can be taken with food or on an empty stomach, advises the Mayo Clinic. If taking more than 500 mg, split your supplement into two or more doses throughout the day. If you're also taking an iron supplement, take your calcium two hours before or after your iron so each nutrient can be properly absorbed.
Tips and Warnings
- Vitamin D is essential for proper absorption of calcium, so pay attention to your vitamin D intake along with calcium.
- Calcium can interfere with your body's ability to properly absorb and use certain medications and antibiotics. Speak to your doctor or pharmacist if taking both a calcium supplement and other medications.
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