How To Get Calcium On A Vegan Diet
Whether you are vegan or thinking about going vegan a very common question you might find yourself asking is, how can you get calcium on a vegan diet?
Many people find dairy hard to give up, and a big reason that they drink milk is because they think it makes their bones stronger due to the calcium in it. This is a very big myth that the dairy industry has told over and over again and brainwashed people into believing.
Milk and other dairy products do indeed contain calcium. However, it’s not necessarily good for our body.
When you consume milk or other dairy products, you consume something that is acidic.
When you eat acidic food, your body tries to balance the PH and make it alkaline again because our bodies are naturally in a alkaline state.
So when you eat or drink dairy, your body actually leeches calcium out of your bones to try and balance the acidity of the milk or food. Then your body then gets rid of this calcium by urinating. So eating or drinking dairy can actually make your calcium levels lower.
In the China Study, Dr. T. Colin Campbell proved that the countries with the highest rates of milk consumption had the highest rates of osteoporosis, and the countries with the lowest rates of dairy consumption had the lowest rates of osteoporosis.
Calcium is necessary for our health to give us strong bones. So it’s obviously common as a vegan to ask, how can you get calcium on a vegan diet.
Calcium is also needed for other tasks in our body such as normal nerve and muscle function, and blood clotting.
The calcium recommendation for adults aged 19-50 years of age is 1000 milligrams per day. It is recommended to get 1200 milligrams if you are older, in your 50s for women, and 70s for men. This daily requirement can easily be achieved by trying to eat foods that are high in calcium each day, which there are many of.
In fact calcium is in many foods, and it is fortified in a lot of foods & drinks as well.
As long as you eat a diet with a variety of plant foods, you will be getting enough calcium. It won’t be too difficult to get that calcium on a vegan diet. Though I hope it’s not just a diet for you but a lifestyle.
Blackstrap molasses has the highest amount of calcium. 2 tablespoons contain 400 milligrams of calcium, which is almost half of your daily requirement.
Some other high sources of calcium include: collard greens, fortified non dairy milks, tofu, turnip greens, tempeh, kale, soybeans, bok choy, tahini, oranges, and more.
There are a few plant foods such as spinach that contain high amounts of calcium, but your body can’t absorb that calcium.
This is due to a substance called oxalate in the spinach. Spinach is still very healthy, just don’t count on it to get your calcium. Other vegetables that would be better for your calcium levels would be rocket, cabbage, and kale.
Overall, it is very easy for vegans to get enough calcium on a vegan diet. Sometimes they get even more than omnivores due to the high variety of plant foods that they are eating, and the lack of dairy which doesn’t leech any calcium from their bones.
What is your favorite source of calcium? Feel free to comment below and share if you got value with your friends.