Tasty25’s Nutrition Tip #5: Finding Calcium Outside of Milk!

And we’re back with another great nutrition tip for our food conscious community! Most of us know that milk is a great source of calcium; however milk and milk made products are not the only sources of getting calcium. For Tasty25 Magazine’s Nutrition Tip #5, we look inside the basics of finding natural sources of calcium outside of milk!

 

 

 Calcium is essential for healthy & strong teeth and bones, and according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, “Calcium plays an important role in building stronger, denser bones early in life and keeping bones strong and healthy later in life.” So, what are some other good food sources of calcium that we can sneak into our diets outside of milk? Suprisingly, you’ll find it where you least expect! Kale, collard greens, bok choy, broccoli, and oranges are all great natural sources of calcium, along with whole grain pastas & cereals.

 The following chart comes to us from the University of Arizona’s “Bone Builders” website, a community based osteoporosis prevention education program for women and older men in Arizona. This charts gives us a look into the nutritional values of some alternative foods sources for calcium:

Black Beans	1 cup, 120 mg calcium
Navy Beans	1 cup, 130 mg calcium
Fortified Cereal	1 cup, 300 mg calcium
Soybeans, cooked	1 cup, 180 mg calcium
Spinach, cooked	1/2 cup, 130 mg calcium
Bok Choy	1/2 cup, 80 mg calcium
Kale, cooked	1/2 cup, 90 mg calcium
Corn Tortilla	1, 6 inch, 50 mg calcium
Greens, mustard	1/2 cup, 100 mg calcium
Fortified Orange Juice	1 cup, 300 mg calcium
Canned Salmon w/bones	3 oz, 180 mg
Fortified Cereal	1 cup, 300 mg
Waffle, fortified	1, 150 mg
Soy milk, fortified	1 cup, 400 mg
Greens, mustard	1/2 cup, 100 mg
Tofu	1 cup, 40 mg
Almonds	2 oz., 150 mg
Oysters	3 oz., 80 mg

 Below we’ve also included the recommended daily intakes of calcium, along with the ago bracket associated with each one. Make sure to get the proper intakes of calcium daily to avoid deficiencies & to ensure maximum absorbance!

Recommended Daily Calcium Intake (Age)	Calcium (mg/day)
0–6 months	200
7–12 months	260
1–3 years	700
4–8 years	1000
9–18 years	1300
19–50 years	1000
51–70 years (male)	1000
51–70 years (female)	1200
71+ years	1200

For more information, visit the University of Arizona’s “Bone Builders” website at:  http://cals.arizona.edu/maricopa/fcs/bb/nondairy.htm

Need healthy recipe & meal ideas? We’ve got you covered. Check out our healthy & delicious recipes that were sent in from people all over the world by clicking HERE! Be food conscious, and Happy Cooking! -Tasty25 Staff