Calcium Supplements
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Ideas For Calcium-Rich Meals and Snacks

Getting enough calcium in your diet can be a difficult task. The best calcium-rich foods belong to the dairy group, but this food group is typically one of the most neglected. As we age, dairy products, including milk, yogurt, and cheese tend to become a smaller percentage of our diet. To make the problem worse, many low-fat diets exclude dairy foods because milk products also contain fat. Calcium is not only important during childhood - the mineral is an essential part of maintaining bone health and preventing disease throughout life. An adequate calcium intake helps prevent osteoporosis, several types of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and a number of pregnancy-related issues.

The average adult calcium requirement is 1,000 mg per day, but that figure changes depending on your sex, fertility status, and age. Most adults find that supplementation is needed to reach their daily requirement, but making a few minor changes to your diet can dramatically increase your calcium consumption. Below are a few ideas to increase the calcium in your diet.

  • Incorporate yogurt into your diet. Yogurt is one of the highest sources of dietary calcium, providing up to 40% of the recommended daily value per serving. Yogurt is a versatile food and can be the base for salad dressings, chicken marinades, and dips. Drizzle yogurt over oatmeal in the morning or freeze flavored yogurt as a replacement for ice cream.
  • Think dark green leafies. One of the highest non-dairy sources of calcium is found in dark green leafy vegetables, such as collard greens, kale, and spinach. These veggies account for 18-35% of the recommended daily calcium intake per one cup serving. Steam them lightly or sauté in olive oil to retain the most calcium. Serve raw baby spinach with a yogurt-based salad dressing for a double blast of calcium.
  • Open sesame. Sesame seeds are a great source of calcium, offering 13% of the average daily value of calcium per 2 tablespoon serving. An easy and tasty way to incorporate sesame seeds into your diet is through tahini, a Middle Eastern and Asian spread made from roasted and ground sesame seeds. Tahini can be used in place of peanut butter in dishes, or served as a simple spread on toasted French bread.
  • Look for the low-fat option. Many milks and cheeses are available in lower-fat versions. The good news is that they still contain the same amount of calcium. If you are restricting fat in your diet, choose 1% milk and reduced fat hard cheeses, sour cream, and cottage cheese. Keeping dairy products a regular part of your diet will help to ensure you get enough calcium.