Where Vegans Get Calcium

Can You Get Calcium Without Dairy?

Calcium is a mineral that plays a crucial role in our body. It’s a mineral that is not only responsible for keeping bones and teeth strong but it’s also carries out important functions in the body such as muscle contractions, nerve transmission, blood clotting and controlling your muscles.

This mineral has a wide range of availability in foods, not just milk and dairy. It is a common misconception that you can only have calcium whenever you drink cow’s milk or eat food that is rich in dairy. In fact, there is nothing special about calcium content in cow’s milk, you can get the same amount of calcium that is effectively absorbed by drinking fortified soy milk. Even better, eating vegetables that are rich in calcium in low-oxalate vegetables such as bok choy, broccoli, kale that absorbable by 15% – 30% more than drinking cow’s milk according to research cited by Dr. Greger.

Many plant foods contain this mineral so you can get all the calcium you need through a plant-based diet.

Here Are The Top 9 Vegan Foods That Are High in Calcium

1. Lentils, Beans and Peas

The intake of legumes—beans, chickpeas, split peas, and lentils. Not only they are rich in fibre, but they also have a good source of calcium.

Cooked per 100g

• Soybeans – 277 mg
• White beans – 90.00mg
• Navy beans –  69.00 mg
• Bean sprouts – 56.00 mg
• Chickpeas – 46.00 mg
• Kidney beans – 26.00 mg
• Green Peas – 24.00 mg
• Lentils – 19.00 mg

2. Leafy Greens Calcium Content

Serving Size: Per 100 g

• Kale Cooked – 272 mg
• Kale Raw – 254 mg
• Collards Cooked – 249 mg
• Collard Raw – 232 mg
• Bok Choy – 114 mg
• Chinese Cabbage Cooked – 109 mg
• Chinese Cabbage Raw – 105 mg
• Broccoli Cooked – 49 mg
• Broccoli Raw – 47 mg

3. Seeds

Serving per 100g added into a salad or oats.

• Chia Seeds – 667 mg
• Flax Seeds – 200 mg
• Hemp Seeds – 70 mg
• Sunflower Seeds – 70 mg

4. Soya and Tofu

Serving Size Per 100 g

• Tofu – 200 to 400 mg
• Tofu Yogurt – 118 mg
• Tempeh – 111 mg

5. Fresh Fruits

Serving Size: Per 100g

• Oranges – 40 mg
• Prickly Pears – 56 mg
• Tangerines – 37 mg
• Figs – 35 mg
• Kiwi Fruit -35 mg

6. Seaweed

Serving Size: Per 100 g

Best eaten raw – 129 mg

7. Dried Fruits

Serving Size per 100 grams

• Goji Berries – 190 mg
• Figs – 162 mg
• Currant (Dried Gooseberry) – 88 mg
• Raisins (Dried Grapes) – 62 mg

8. Nuts

Serving Size: 100 g

• Almonds – 267 mg
• Brazil Nuts – 160 mg
• Pistachio Nuts – 105 mg
• Hazel Nuts – 100 mg
• Walnuts – 98 mg

9. Drinks

Served per 100 g

• Almond Milk (unsweetened) – 184 mg
• Soy Milk – 123 mg

How Much Calcium Do You Need?

Dr Greger recommends at least 600 mg daily via calcium-­rich plant foods mentioned above.

This video will help you to understand about calcium in cow’s milk versus calcium in plant-based foods.

You can find the importance of Vitamin D and how to get it here.

Sources:

https://www.nutritionvalue.org/
NutritionFacts.org by Dr. Greger https://nutritionfacts.org/video/calcium-absorption-soy-milk-versus-cow-milk/