BEST VEGAN & NON DAIRY SOURCES FOR CALCIUM RICH FOODS

The plant-based lifestyle is a superb way of packing your diet with healthy nutrients, vitamins, proteins and carbs that keep you feeling great.

We’ve shown you these five awesome sources of vegan protein, but did you know that calcium is also super important for our health.

We’re used to hearing about the importance of calcium for children because it helps with growth, but by the time we’re adults, a lot of us forget about the importance of calcium.

Most people know that calcium is needed for strong bones and teeth, but did you know that it’s one of the minerals our body needs for muscle movement, nerve function and blood clotting?

Calcium is definitely the unsung hero of a healthy lifestyle!

However, lots of people don’t meet their daily calcium requirements, including those on a vegan diet.

The body doesn’t produce calcium itself, so it’s really important to know about the best calcium-rich foods so that you can stay healthy and happy!

In fact, plant-based calcium has a lower absorption rate than dairy calcium, so it’s a good idea to know your stuff about calcium for vegans when following a vegan diet, or if you’re looking to go vegan for the first time.

Dairy products get all the credit when it comes to providing us with all-important calcium, but there are loads of awesome plant-based calcium options for vegans.

In this quick guide to dairy-free calcium that is perfect for vegans (or the lactose intolerant!), we’re going to walk you through the best calcium rich foods, drinks and meals that happen to be plant-based!

So if you want to find out how vegans can get calcium, keep reading!

The plant-based lifestyle is a superb way of packing your diet with healthy nutrients, vitamins, proteins and carbs that keep you feeling great. Most people know that calcium is needed for strong bones and teeth, but did you know that it’s one of the minerals our body needs for muscle movement, nerve function and blood clotting? vegan calcium sources are definitely the unsung hero of a healthy lifestyle! However, lots of people don’t meet their daily calcium requirements, including those on a vegan diet.

Daily Calcium Requirements The amount of calcium we need changes depending on our age, so here’s a quick guide to how much calcium you should be aiming to consume daily! ● ● ● ● ● ●

1-3 Years – 350 milligrams (mg) 4-6 Years – 450 mg 7-10 Years – 550mg 11-18 Years (Girls) – 800 mg 11-18 Years (Boys) – 1000 mg 19 Years or Older – 700 mg

It’s great to know how many milligrams of calcium we need each day, but how exactly do we know how much dairy free calcium is in each piece of food?

The Best Calcium Rich Foods For Vegans Fruits It’s true that fruit isn’t commonly thought of as a calcium-rich food.

But did you know that there are plenty of healthy fruits that are an awesome source of calcium for vegans?

Here is a list of some sweet and fruity sources of dairy free calcium that you’re probably already eating with your breakfast or as a snack every day! (Easier to incorporate into your vegan diet than you realised, right?)

Tangerines Not to be confused with clementines or oranges, tangerines are one of the highest sources of calcium for vegans to be found in fresh fruits! They contain a healthy 37mg of calcium per 100g.

On top of that, they are sold at all major supermarkets, all year round – so it’s a really effective and easy way to get some dairy free calcium into your diet.

Aside from packing a whole bunch of plant-based calcium, they also keep your skin looking young and hair colour vibrant!

Tangerines are basically the total package when it comes to finding the best calcium rich foods and meeting your body’s daily mineral needs.

Kiwis This tropical green fruit contains 34mg of calcium per 100g so it’s certainly one of the best calcium rich foods for vegans out there.

Not only does it contain a whopping amount of calcium but it’s also packed with vitamin C, antioxidants and fibre.

Talk about a total superfood!

Kiwi is an awesome addition to a fruit salad or a fantastic cereal topper to get your fix of dairy free calcium in the morning.

Spinach Turns out there is a reason that Popeye got so strong from eating spinach! It’s all that calcium!

Leafy greens are one of the best calcium rich foods out there and spinach is one of the most popular kinds of leafy greens.

Spinach contains a staggering 136mg of calcium per 100g. It also aids weight loss, reduces stress and blood pressure levels.

It can be enjoyed cooked or raw, so why not replace your typical lettuce leaves for some nutritional spinach in your next salad?

Kale With 132mg of calcium per 100g, it’s no wonder that kale has been all the rage in the last few years.

In fact, it’s one of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet, despite being very low calorie. It contains high amounts of vitamin A, vitamin K, vitamin B6 and vitamin C. It will even help to lower your cholesterol and risk of heart disease, so it’s clear that kale is super healthy.

Whether you choose to blend it up in a refreshing green smoothie or let it wilt into a sumptuous tomato sauce, kale is easily one of the best calcium rich foods in the world.

Butternut Squash Did you know that butternut squash is technically a fruit!? (Shocking!)

Nevertheless, squash is popular among those on a vegan diet for how hearty and soothing it tastes.

Squash contains around 41mg of calcium per 100g!

It’s also high in potassium and manganese, which helps your body to process carbohydrates.

This versatile source of calcium for vegans can be roasted, curried or made into a healthy soup for a creamy and mellow addition to any dish going.

Soybeans Given that tofu is one of the best calcium rich foods for vegans, it’s no wonder that soybeans are one of the best sources of dairy free calcium when it comes to beans and pulses.

You might know these beans as edamame beans, an awesome healthy Japanese snack. You can buy them frozen and fresh in lots of UK supermarkets.

With around 66mg of calcium per 80g, these beans are a great addition to any salad or falafel mix. You can also roast them and transform them into a crispy snack.

Chickpeas Chickpeas are a delightful pulse that makes hummus, falafel and different types of curries.

Where would we be in a world without hummus! (There would be a lot of lonely carrot sticks for sure).

It’s undeniable that chickpeas are an absolute vegan essential, but did you know that they contain 38mg of calcium per 80g portion?

There are so many incredible chickpea-based vegan recipes; you probably won’t have much trouble making sure that you eat enough chickpeas to get some dairy-free calcium into your diet.