Having Trouble Getting Enough Calcium w/o Dairy

maddydidit

See title

I'm trying to stay away from milk products for a while to test my lactose intolerance. Any suggestions for quick and easy calcium?

Hilary

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talkingmountain

@maddydidit - fabulous sources of non-dairy calcium include most brands of tofu, and all legumes and greens (calcium in high-oxalate greens like spinach isn't absorbed as well, but it still counts).

Besides the obvious, easy ways to add these to your diet include:

• Blend some tofu in your smoothies (adds a creamy texture).
• Dry-fry cubed tofu (sprinkle on some soy sauce if you want) and add it to any main dish.
• Blend cannellini or other white beans into mashed potatoes.
• Add beans to any main dish or salad (black beans, garbanzos, & kidney beans are all especially good on salads).
• Make tofu- or bean-based "cheese" and use it anywhere you'd use Velveeta (mac & cheese, nacho sauce (blend in some salsa), casseroles, etc). (Bean-based cheeses freeze well but tofu-based do not)

WellFed

I drink almond milk which helps me reach my daily requirement of calcium.

Paul

Here's an interesting article on the Mediterranean diet and calcium.

food for thought (and not getting hip fractures probably)

talkingmountain

The evidence is building that if you eat primarily plant-based, your requirements for calcium are much lower than the typical American recommendations. It's becoming clear that bone strength is a lot more complex than getting adequate calcium.

Susan_RD_101

@maddydidit

There are many plant-based sources of calcium; no need to bring the cow into it.

Some of my favourites include:
Veg: bok choy, napa cabbage, kale, mustard greens, turnip greens, okra
Legumes: soy beans, tofu, tempeh,
Nuts/Seeds: almond butter, tahini
Misc.: blackstrap molasses

There is also a new milk on the market - Ripple, that has 8 grams of protein, vegan DHA, and 50% more calcium than cow's milk. I also love YoSo Unsweetened Yogurts which contain about 17% DV for calcium.

As @talkingmountain mentioned, bone health is certainly more than calcium. Maybe this would be a good blog post for me to write about here soon!

talkingmountain

Ooh, I didn't know almond butter, tahini, and tempeh had much calcium! Thx for the ideas!

I've never seen Ripple milk or YoYo yogurts! Where do you buy them?

I especially miss unsweetened soy yogurt. All the vegan yogurts now seem to be made from nut or coconut milks, neither of which have much protein.

talkingmountain

@Susan_RD_101 I've never seen Ripple milk or YoYo yogurts! Where do you buy them?

I really miss the ability to buy unsweetened soy yogurt (WholeSoy went out of business and Silk doesn't seem to make an unsweetened soy yogurt). All the dairy-free yogurts now seem to be made from nut or coconut milks, neither of which have much protein. Are you aware of any unsweetened, dairy-free, higher-protein yogurts?

Susan_RD_101

@talkingmountain

In Canada, Ripple Milk is available in Whole Foods, Health Stores, and Loblaws. However, there seems to be a discrepancy regarding the amount of calcium in Canada vs. the U.S. (in that there is more calcium in the products found in the U.S.). I have contacted the company to find out why this discrepancy exists and when it will go away.

The brand of yogurt you are looking for is YoSo; you can find it at the same stores as above. Also, you could try to make your own yogurt. All you need is a probiotic starter and plant milk of your choice: https://minimalistbaker.com/easy-2-ingredient-coconut-yogurt/

Here is also a great recipe for tofu, banana yogurt: https://happyherbivore.com/recipe/homemade-vegan-yogurt-tofu-yogurt/.

Good luck!