Calcium in the Vegan Diet

Calcium is an essential nutrient that aids in making stronger teeth and bones. While most of the calcium in our bodies is stored in these two places, it is also important in assisting with proper nerve and muscle functions. Calcium prevents dangerous health conditions like osteoporosis, kidney stones, high blood pressure and colon cancer. Symptoms of a calcium deficiency include tingling in your hands and feet, bone fractures and muscle pain.

According to the National Institute of Health, adults over 18 should get between 1000 mg to 1200 mg each day. Most people get their recommended amount of calcium through milk and cheese. Since vegans do not eat diary, it is common to believe that they are at risk for being calcium deficient. However, there are many ways to get calcium into a vegan diet:

Dark, leafy vegetables

Vegetables like spinach, turnip greens, and collard greens are packed with calcium. These kinds of vegetables are very versatile in a vegan diet because they can be a main course or a side dish. Options for serving these vegetables include adding to salads and soups. Also, you can make a wrap with other vegetables like avocado, onions and tomatoes.

Tofu

Tofu is an excellent way to get calcium since there are two different ways you can eat it. The first is soft or silken tofu, which is used for smoothies, sauces, dressings, and desserts. The other type is regular or firm tofu, which is used for stir fries, sandwiches, and mixed with pasta.

Broccoli

Even though broccoli is a common vegetable, most people do not know that it has a good amount of calcium. You can add it to stir fries, vegan omelets, soups, salads, casseroles, sauces, or as a side dish.

Fortified rice, almond, or soy milk

The best part about this example is that you can get all of these fortified drinks at your local supermarket. This is an easy way to get more calcium into your diet because there are so many uses for it. Examples include smoothies, cereal, tea, coffee, sauces and vegan ice cream. In addition to these drinks, you can also drink orange juice that is fortified with calcium.

Calcium supplement

Since most people do not get the recommended daily amount of calcium, supplements are available in most supermarkets and pharmacies. There are two main types of supplements: one with just calcium or calcium with vitamin D added. I recommend the latter because vitamin D helps absorbs calcium in the stomach.