Calcium is one of the most essential minerals that our body needs to function in its full potential. More than 99% of this essential mineral is available inside our bones to make them grow strong and healthy. An adult human needs approximately 1000 to 1200 mg of Calcium daily.However, proper amount of Vitamin D is also necessary to consume in a daily basis to help the Calciumabsorb fully in our body. Fortunately, most of the foods that are rich in Calcium are also rich in Vitamin D so you don’t need to focus much on countless types of food items to meet your daily requirements of Vitamin D and Calcium. Without further ado, let’s know what are the best Calcium sources you should include in your diet to fulfil your daily need.
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Milk
We all know that when it comes to Vitamin D and Calcium, dairy products are the richest food items for them and the first dairy product that comes in our mind is obviously milk. Any type of milk whether it is fat or slim milk is very rich in Calcium and undoubtedly one of the best Calcium sources out there.
A cup of milk that is 237 mL, contains 325 mg of Calcium which is more than 30% of the DV. That’s enough to know how much essential milk is when it comes to fulfil your daily Calciumrequirement. Moreover, Calcium from milk and other dairy products is absorbed best in our body unlike Calcium from plant sources. So, try to consume dairy products if you are not a vegan or lactose intolerant.
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Cheese
Cheese is another very popular dairy product that is an outstanding and one of the best Calcium sources. However, it depends on the cheese you are consuming. For example, Parmesan cheese contains the highest amount of Calcium which is 242mg per ounce/30 grams but cheese like soft cheese only contains 52mg per ounce/30 grams which is really low.
So, choose wisely what type of cheese you want to consume. Although most of the cheese are rich in Calcium. Cheeses are also rich in high-quality protein and cottage cheese is the finest example as it contains 23 grams of protein per 100 grams. Moreover, cheese is one of those dairy products that is easier to digest so it can be consumable for lactose intolerant people too.
Yogurt
Almost every type of yogurt is excellent sources of Calcium. Plain yogurt and low fat yogurt seem to contain higher amount of Calcium than their siblings. A 245-grams or 8-ounce cup of plain yogurt contain more than 280 grams of Calcium and the same cup of low fat yogurt provides more than 320 grams of Calcium.
Furthermore, some types of yogurt contain decent amount of protein too! Greek yogurt is one of them. With the best absorption capability and decent amount of protein, these dairy products are some of the best Calcium sources but if you are really lactose intolerant than you can consider consuming the other following sources.
Sardine
Not only the dairy products, but also some sea fishes are great sources for Calcium. Sardine and salmon fishes are two of them. 100 grams or 3-ounce of sardine comes with a very impressive 290 mg of Calciumwhich is even better than the dairy products!
However, the absorption is not the greatest still the amount of Calcium alone is enough to make it one of the best Calcium sources and a must in your diet if you wan to meet your daily Calcium need. Moreover, sardines are very nutritious as they contain decent amount of Omega-3, iron and high-quality protein.
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Salmon (Canned with bones)
Salmon is one of the most popular sea fishes that is widely available and known for its various health benefits. It is one of the best Omega-3 sources and it is an excellent source for protein too. Many fitness enthusiasts, professional athletes and bodybuilders consume salmon in their daily diet for these 2 incredible macronutrients content.
As a sea fish, salmon is also rich in Calcium but not without its bones because 99% of its Calcium is found in its bones that’s why canned salmon with bones is the best option to include salmon in your diet if you want to get optimum amount of Calcium in a daily basis. 3-ounce or 100 grams of canned salmon with bones provide 190 mg of Calcium which is a great amount. It’s not a negligible amount, is it?
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Seeds
If you are vegan and looking for some healthy plant sources for your daily Calcium need then we have quite a few of them too! Starting with seeds; seeds are highly nutritious food items that are packed with protein, healthyfat and multiple types of minerals. Calcium is one of them.
Several types of seeds such as poppy,celery, sesame and chia seeds are very rich in Calcium. For example, only 2 tablespoons of poppy seeds contain 250 mg of Calcium and the same amount of sesame provides 190 mg of Calcium. So, as you can see, these seeds are some of the best Calcium sources and can be a great addition in your plant-based diet to fulfil your need.
Tofu
Tofu is a great addition to any type of diet as it is rich in plant protein and various types of vitamins as well as minerals including Calcium. It is surprisingly rich in Calcium which is why, it takes place in our list of 10 best Calcium sources. 100 grams or 3-ounce of Tofu provide more than 350 mg of Calcium which is a pretty impressive amount. For this reason, you should not miss this healthy soy-based food.
Leafy Green Vegetables
When it comes to plant sources, leafy green vegetables come to our mind first. It is no surprise that they are highly nutritious and packed with almost every micronutrient. Calcium is obviously no exception. Almost all leafy veggies contain Calcium but some of them contain the highest amount such as one cup or 190 grams of collard greens contain 268 mg of Calcium and same cup of kale has 243 mg of Calcium.
Spinach is also rich in Calcium but its Calcium can’t be absorbed well by the body because of its high oxalate content. Oxalate is a plant compound that binds to Calcium and harms its absorption. These 3 leafy green veggies have the highest amount of Calcium and you can include them in your diet.
Fortified Cereals
Foods fortified with vitamins and minerals are some great options to add in your diet. Cereal is the most notable one since it provides the most amount of Calcium than the others. 100 grams of 3-ounce of fortified cereal provide you up to 1000 mg Calcium! Yes, you have read right! Can you believe it?! It’s massive amount, right? It’s like 100% of the DV. But, with all great things, there must be some downsides.
The only downside is that your body cant absorb that much Calcium together so much of it will be wasted. That’s why it is better to fulfil your daily Calcium need throughout the day by consuming various types of things. However, fortified foods like cereals can’t be ignored because of how massive amount of Calcium they can provide. Other fortified foods made from wheat and flour like bread, tortilla, crackers etc. are also pretty rich in Calcium(250-300 mg per 100 grams). You can try them too.
Fortified Drinks
Just like fortified foods, fortified drinks are excellent options too for vegans or lactose intolerant consumers. Fortified soy milk and orange juice are 2 of the best drinks that come to mind first and arguably so. Both of them are rich in vitamins and minerals including Calcium.
A 237 mL cup of fortified soy milk contains 367 mg of Calcium which is another very impressive amount and the same cup of fortified orange juice contains 198 mg of Calcium that is not so bad either. If you are having these two drinks in your daily diet, you can easily cross 50% of the DV which proves why fortified drinks are some of the best Calcium sources that you shouldn’t miss.
Conclusion
Therefore, these are the 10 best Calcium sources that are more than enough to fulfil your daily Calcium requirement. Some other good options apart from these top 10 sources are: beans and lentils, whey protein, Amarnath, almonds etc. Whether you are lactose intolerant or vegan, it doesn’t matter because we have listed all types of best Calcium sources in this article which you have already known. However, dairy products provide the best absorption power for Calcium as expected.Keep consuming these foods and keep getting stronger and healthier bones. Hope, you have found this article helpful enough. If it is really so then don’t hesitate to express your valuable thoughts in the comment section below. Thanks for visiting and appreciating our work.