Daily calcium intake is important to keep teeth and bones strong, as well as to improve muscle contraction, heart rate and reduce irritation, for example. Discover other benefits of this mineral in: Calcium.
Thus, during the day it is recommended to take around 1, 300 mg of calcium per day between 9 and 18 years old, due to the growth and development of bones, while in adulthood, the recommended dose is 1, 000 mg per day, which for Restricted vegetarians like vegans are much more difficult to reach.
However, calcium does not need to be taken only in the form of milk or dairy products, such as cheese and yogurt, especially in the case of patients with lactose intolerance or irritable bowel syndrome, for example, and there are other foods that, when ingested in adequate quantities, they are capable of providing daily amounts of calcium like almonds. See how to use almond for osteoporosis in: 5 almond health benefits.
List of calcium-rich foods without milk
Some good examples of calcium-source foods that do not contain milk are:
| Source | Calcium amount | Source | Calcium amount |
| 85 grams canned sardines with bones | 372 mg | ½ cup of cooked kale | 90 mg |
| 1 cup almonds |
332 mg |
1 cup cooked broccoli | 72 mg |
| 1 cup of Brazil nuts | 260 mg | 100 grams of orange | 40 mg |
| 1 cup of oysters | 226 mg | 140 grams of papaya | 35 mg |
| 1 cup of rhubarb | 174 mg | 30 grams of bread | 32 mg |
| 85 grams of canned salmon with bones | 167 mg | 120 grams of pumpkin | 32 mg |
| 1 cup of pork with beans | 138 mg | 70 grams of carrot | 20 mg |
| 1 cup cooked spinach | 138 mg | 140 grams of cherry | 20 mg |
| 1 cup of tofu | 130 mg | 120 grams of banana | 7 mg |
| 1 cup peanuts | 107 mg | 14 grams of wheat germ | 6.4 mg |
Generally, there is a loss of calcium in the cooking water, so it is important to use the least amount of water and the shortest possible time during the preparation of these foods to ensure that calcium is preserved. However, spinach or beans, for example, must be scalded and the first water dispensed to eliminate a substance, called oxalate, which reduces the body's ability to absorb calcium.
In addition to these foods, there are other ways to ingest calcium without lactose through foods enriched with calcium, which are easily found in supermarkets, such as soy yogurt, cookies, cereals or bread, for example, or use of dietary supplements recommended by the nutritionist. Another food rich in calcium is caruru, see the benefits here.
Watch this video to learn about other calcium-rich foods and how to use them correctly:
Sample menu with calcium-rich foods without milk
A good example of a menu with foods rich in calcium, but without milk, capable of reaching the recommended doses of calcium for an adult, is:
- Breakfast: 1 cup of almond milk with 1 orange and toasted bread with fig jam; Collation: 1 banana accompanied by 2 Brazil nuts; Lunch: ½ can of sardines with spines with 1 cup of cooked broccoli and ½ cup of rice; Snack: almond milk vitamin with 100 grams of cherry and 140 grams of papaya; Dinner: spinach soup with pumpkin, carrots, potatoes and tofu; Supper: 1 chamomile tea or 1 strawberry gelatin.
This menu contains approximately 1100 mg of calcium, and is therefore sufficient to achieve the recommended daily doses of calcium for adults. However, the menu can be adapted to the preference of each person, replacing the foods, using the table above as a reference.
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