Non-Dairy Sources Of Calcium
Non-dairy sources of calcium are more abundant than many people realise. People immediately think of cows milk and other dairy products when it comes to increasing calcium in their diet, and whilst those are certainly good sources they aren’t the only ones. There are many non-dairy sources of calcium that we can include as part of our daily diet to help us meet our bodies calcium needs well.
It doesn’t have to be dairy!
What is calcium?
Calcium is a chemical element found within the body and almost 99 percent of it is stored in the structure of the bones and teeth. Whilst calcium is well known as a key mineral for healthy bones and teeth, it’s also important for a calm nervous system, for preventing blood clotting, for healthy hormone secretion, and healthy muscle contraction.
In order for your body to properly absorb and use calcium, it needs two other essential nutrients; vitamin D3 and vitamin K2. Vitamins D3 and K2 help to ensure that calcium is absorbed easily into the bone mass, and prevent calcification of the arteries. Magnesium is another key mineral for calcium absorption, because without magnesium calcium can become toxic and deposit itself in soft tissues, kidneys, arteries and cartilage rather than in bones, which is not where we want it to go!
So whilst calcium is a key mineral to obtain from our diet we also need to ensure we are taking in these other key nutrients. For this reason it’s best to get the calcium you need from whole food sources because that way you’re more likely to obtain those other nutrients as well – and it doesn’t have to be dairy!
Let’s have a look at some top non-dairy sources of calcium.
Non-dairy foods rich in calcium include sardines (with bones) are a rich source of calcium, as well as dark green leaves such as kale, watercress, parsley, spinach, broccoli, chard and bok choi, sunflower and sesame seeds, almonds, brazil nuts, haricot beans, edamame beans, and tofu
Here are some of our favourite ways to incorporate these foods on a daily basis:
A tin of sardines on a slice of rye sourdough toast with rocket and watercress.
A tofu stir-fry with edamame beans, broccoli, kale, and bok choi – topped with crunchy sunflower seeds.
A smoothie with sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, almonds, spinach and berries!
Our SPA green juice, which contains broccoli, kale, parsley and spinach - SHOP NOW
Our POW and REV nut milks, both of which contain almonds - SHOP NOW
At Junius we start with a scientific knowledge base and then build our recipes from there, allowing you to improve your health in an easy and convenient way through our delicious juices and shots bursting with benefits, and we’ve got your calcium foods covered in our SPA, POW and REV ranges.
Customise your health from home with our multi award-winning range of cold pressed juices, delivered UK wide.
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