The Organic Dollar: Best Food Sources of Calcium (non-dairy)

If you are like me when you think of calcium you think of milk (because of all that good milk industry advertising) and when asked what other food sources are a good calcium source you might be at a bit of a loss. I recently did a little research on other good food sources of calcium and this is what I found.

Seafood:
Wild Sardines canned-300mg per 3 ounce serving. Canned Salmon have 100mg per serving, plus you have vitamin D which is essential for proper calcium absorption.

Beans:
White Beans, Black Eyed Peas: 150-250mg per cup of cooked beans

Greens:
Kale, bok choy and spinach- 150 -250 mg of calcium per cup. Collard Greens-350mg of calcium per cup. Cooking has no effect on the calcium levels. Greens also provide vitamin k, which is essential for bone mineralization

Sesame seeds:
150mg pf calcium per Tablespoon...so Organic Tahini that you can put in hummus is a winner!

Blackstrap Organic Molasses Unsulphured :
1 tablespoon has 172 mg of calcium, compare that to 300mg in an 8 ounce glass of milk...2 tablespoons gives you more than a glass of milk!

Other surprising sources:
Oranges, thyme, oregano, dill, cinnamon, celery, cabbage, brussel sprouts and crimini mushrooms

Facts about Calcium:

Vitamin D is needed to facilitate and accelerate absorption of calcium from the gastrointestinal tract
High intake of caffeine and protein increases excretion of calcium through the urinary system
When your dietary intake of calcium is low your body pulls calcium from your bones so your body can continue to function. Calcium is needed for blood clotting, nerve conduction, muscle contraction, cell membrane function and enzyme regulation. Those are important things!

References:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calcium

http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/calcium/

http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2005/document/html/appendixb.htm

http://nutrition.about.com/od/therapeuticnutrition1/a/Getting-Enough-Calcium.htm