Cow’s milk, cheese, and other dairy products have often been thought of as calcium-rich solutions to weak, frail bones—but those dairy products may actually be doing you more harm than good.
The Harvard Nurses’ Health Study found that drinking two or more glasses of milk a day puts people at a higher risk of breaking hips and arms than those who drank one or fewer glasses of milk a day. In addition, people who get their calcium from milk tend to retain less calcium than those who get their calcium from veggies due to the acidity and protein content of dairy.
So, if you’re looking for healthy, cruelty-free sources of calcium, try these instead:
1. Black-Eyed Peas
Dish up a side of 1 cup of these peas alongside your favorite lunch for 370 mg of calcium.
2. Silk Original Soymilk
One serving of this soy milk contains 50 percent more calcium than dairy milk, not to mention that it doesn’t contain any pus.
3. Sesame Seeds
Snack on 2 ounces of these seeds to get 560 mg of calcium. Tahini, a ground sesame seed paste, is one of the main ingredients in hummus—so get snacking!
4. Kale
A crisp, refreshing, and fiber-packed 3 1/2–cup chopped kale salad will give you 305 mg of calcium. If you’re not in the mood for salad, try kale chips instead!
5. Califia Farms Almondmilk
This popular almond milk is delicious and contains 120 mg more calcium than a glass of dairy milk does.
6. Turnip Greens
Just 1 1/2 cups of these cooked greens supply almost 300 mg of calcium.
7. Seaweed
Depending on the type of seaweed, it can pack up to 10 times more calcium than milk.
8. White Beans
Two cups will give you 382 mg of calcium and a significant amount of iron.
9. Blackstrap Molasses
Two tablespoons supply 344 mg of calcium. Try replacing maple syrup on some delicious vegan pancakes or the sweetener in your coffee with molasses for a calcium boost.
10. Silk Cashewmilk
This nondairy milk contains 45 percent of the recommended daily amount (RDA) of calcium, or 360 mg.
11. Fortified Orange Juice
A single 8-ounce serving can contain as much as 500 mg of calcium, which is 50 percent of the RDA.
12. Rice Dream Original + Calcium & Vitamins
One glass of this rice milk contains 240 milligrams, or 30 percent of the RDA, of calcium. It’s also fortified with vitamin D to help you absorb as much of the calcium as possible.
13. Tofu
In addition to being full of protein, half a cup of tofu can supply as much as 861 mg, or 86 percent, of the RDA of calcium.
All studies aside, dairy products are just plain cruel. Cows’ milk is formulated specifically for their calves, who are stolen away from their mothers so that humans can take the milk. Want to help stop this cruelty? GO VEGAN!
Looking for more info on vegan nutrition? Look no further!
And of course, don’t forget to share this with everyone you know. 😉
