Calcium dairy free and healthy !
Simply put most parents think that the only way to get sufficient calcium is from dairy products or milk, and if your children do not eat enough dairy they will not grow. Our mass perception equates milk to strong bones and being tall. One of the most difficult tasks of a pediatrician who is concerned with a child’s overall health is dealing with this myth perpetuated by the dairy industry and many pediatricians themselves. But it is not fact. It may be convenient. It may insure our children and elderly ingest a easy cheap adequate source of calcium . But dairy products are in no way the healthiest nutritional choice for calcium. There are many healthier ways to get calcium. Dark green vegetables for instance are full of calcium, and a much healthier source. Your child will grow just as well and without the health compromising results of dairy ( see milk articles). Much of the world’s population do not eat diary as a primary protein and they seem to grow fine with a lot less health problems.
A diet without dairy can easily provide the daily allowance of calcium without compromising nutrition or your health. Looking at the top calcium plant foods and the sample meals below you realize with very little effort it is not difficult to get the daily allowance of calcium from only one meal. If you pay attention and make healthy plant exchanges for milk and dairy products throughout the day you will achieve your goal of improved health with more than enough calcium and your children will certainly manage to grow “big and strong”.
How much calcium do you need per day at each age
Between 1- 3 years of age a child needs 500 mg a day
4- 8 800 mg a day
9-18 1300 mg a day
Over 19 1000 mg – 1200 mg a day
Some high calcium plant foods- compared to a cup of milk which has 300 mg and hard cheese which has 200 mg, and a cup of yogurt with 450 mg of calcium
Figs cup 300 mg
Sesame seeds,1 oz 280 mg
Tahini 1 oz 135 mg
Chia seeds, ounce 179 mg
almonds, ounce 80 mg
Almond milk cup 450 mg ( fortified)
tofu calcium set, 3 oz 300 mg
Soy yogurt 1 cup 300mg
broccoli, cup 180 mg
kale, cup raw 100 mg
spinach, cup cooked 240 mg
beans, cup 80 mg
Fortified breads and oatmeal. 100 – 250 mg
Scroll below for comparisons of calcium based foods
2 easy meals below and the calcium content
Sample salad for maximum calcium
Arugula/spinach/kale- cup of each 260 mg
Carrots half cup
Tahini based dressing – half ounce 70 mg
Add olives
Sesame seeds one ounce 140 mg
Tomatoes
Soy cheese ( calcium fortified) one ounce 173 mg
Tofu one ounce 250 mg
Calcium content of salad about 800 mg almost an entire day’s calcium requirement for an adult
Sample vegan meal
Non meat protein example tofu 3 oz 300 mg
(Compared to 3 oz meat protein 40 mg)
Quinoa one cup 100 mg
Beans half cup 40 mg
Broccoli cup 180 mg
Slice Bread ( fortified) 100 mg
Dessert compote with half-cup dried figs, 150 mg
With dessert and a vegan meal total calcium is 870 mg . Well over the child requirement for calcium for an entire day in one meal.
As you can see if you spread out the high calcium healthy foods throughout the day you will not encounter any difficulty in meeting the recommended calcium requirements for you or your growing child.
See below for sample comparisons of high calcium dairy vs non dairy foods
Cup of milk 300 mg
Cup of breast milk 79 mg
Cup of formula 400 mg
Cup of soy milk ( fortified) 300mg
Cup of almond milk( fortified) 350 mg
Cup of orange juice ( fortified) up to 500 mg
Ounce of cheese 200mg
Cup of yogurt 450 mg
Cup of ice cream 200 mg
Ounce of soy cheese 173 mg
Cup Broccoli ( cooked) 180 mg
Cup of kale ( raw) 100 mg
Cup arugula (raw) 125 mg
Cup spinach (cooked) 240 mg
Cup spinach ( raw) 30 mg
Cup of figs (dried) 300 mg
Cup of dates 57 mg
Apple 10 mg
Kiwi 50 mg
Orange 50 mg
Cup of Beans 75 mg
Tofu 3 oz 200 mg or more
Cup tempeh 150 mg
1 oz almonds 80 mg
1 oz sesame seeds 180 mg
1 oz Chia seeds 179 mg
1 oz Sunflower seeds 50 mg
1 oz tahini 130 mg
Cup fortified cereal 250 mg or more
Cup oatmeal instant ( fortified) 150 mg
Cup Brown rice 50 mg
Cup quinoa 100 mg
Cup whole wheat pasta 21 mg
Slice whole wheat bread fortified 200mg
The list above indicates that there are many plant sources of calcium and the belief that you have to have dairy products to grow or as we age is misleading and not factual. With very little effort you and your children can find healthier sources of calcium than dairy.
Not having to feed cows to produce milk reduces greenhouse gas. Eliminates the issue of what we do to the calves. and the enormous waste and farmland resources for cows.
Warren Krantz MD, FAAP.
HealthfulMD, KrantzCare.com