Vegan Guide To Calcium
Calcium along with protein and iron are nutrients commonly sighted by omnivores as being lacking in a vegan diet. The reality couldn’t be further from the truth. Infact while the common thought is that dairy milk gives a large amount of calcium, there are everyday foods that can offer a tonne more calcium pound for pound.
Children under 18 years need around 1300mg per day, Adults around 1000mg. For exact numbers depending on your age and sex, check the National Institutes of Health fact sheet here : http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/calcium-Consumer/
Milk
First let’s see how dairy milk stands up against other milks. It’s interesting to note that plant based milks are often fortified with calcium over and above what regular milk would have. It’s hard to really gauge the calcium content of these sorts of products as it’s really up to the manufacturer as to how much “extra” calcium they will add. For now all you should know, is that if you are drinking a calcium fortified milk (Which many are), then you will be getting as much, or sometimes more calcium as dairy milk.
| Calcium per serving (milligrams) | Calcium per 100g (milligrams) | |
|---|---|---|
| Dairy Milk (1% fat, 1 cup) | 305 | 125 |
| Soy Milk (1 cup) | 61 | 25 |
| Rice Milk (1 cup) | 288 | 120 |
| Almond Milk (1 cup) | 450 | 187 |
Fruit and Veges
Fruit and vegetables are one of those things that you probably didn’t even realise had calcium! It’s so easy to get your daily need without going out of your way to eat “weird” and wonderful things.
| Calcium per serving (milligrams) | Calcium per 100g (milligrams) | |
|---|---|---|
| Rhubarb (1 cup) | 105 | 86 |
| Kale (1 cup) | 101 | 150 |
| Broccoli (1 cup) | 43 | 45 |
| Oranges (1 fruit) | 52 | 40 |
| Kiwifruit (1 fruit) | 34 | 23 |
| Prunes (1 cup) | 75 | 43 |
Nuts and Seeds
Nuts are a great way of getting in your daily calcium need. A few handfuls as a light snack throughout the day can almost get you to your RDI alone. Who needs dairy milk?!
| Calcium per serving (milligrams) | Calcium per 100g (milligrams) | |
|---|---|---|
| Almonds (1 cup) | 243 | 264 |
| Walnuts (1 cup) | 98 | 98 |
| Cashews (100 grams)) | 37 | 37 |
| Peanuts (100 grams)) | 79 | 54 |
| Chia Seeds (1 oz)) | 179 | 631 |
| Sunflower Seeds (1 cup)) | 90 | 70 |
| Pumpkin Seeds (1 cup)) | 59 | 46 |
Beans
Beans again come in as a super food. Look at the calcium intake in white beans! Almost half of your RDI in a single cup. Chickpeas are also great at getting your calcium hit (Along with all the other goodness that comes with eating chickpeas).
| Calcium per serving (milligrams) | Calcium per 100g (milligrams) | |
|---|---|---|
| Black Beans (1 cup) | 294 | 160 |
| White Beans (1 cup) | 485 | 240 |
| Chickpeas (1 cup) | 210 | 105 |
| Broadbeans (1 cup) | 47 | 37 |
| Kidney Beans (1 cup) | 62 | 35 |
Other
Below are just some other foods that you may not have known just how much calcium they are packed with.
| Calcium per serving (milligrams) | Calcium per 100g (milligrams) | |
|---|---|---|
| Molasses (1 cup) | 691 | 205 |
| Tofu (0.5 cup) | 434 | 350 |
| Seaweed (2 tbsp) | 17 | 168 |
| Lentils (1 cup) | 56 | 108 |
It’s probably all a bit overwhelming. Giving you a massive chart of foods to eat probably doesn’t help you all that much. But the point is that calcium comes from many natural sources, not just dairy milk. Infact, the myth of “you have to drink milk to get calcium” is certainly not true. Tonight when you’re having dinner, have a quick search around for the calcium content of your food. You might be surprised in what you find!
Chart Sources
Unless otherwise specified below. Calcium values are taken from Google Nutrition e.g. : https://www.google.co.nz/search?q=calcium+in+milk
Rice Milk based on Rice Dream Original : http://www.ricedream.eu/en/products/rice-dream-original-calcium-vitamins
Almond Milk based on Silk Unsweetened : http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/custom/1981172/2
So, what do you think ?