Calcium
Strong Bones and Calcium Rich Foods
Possible signs of deficiency of calcium Include spots or ridges in your fingernails, cramps including cramps in your calves at night and headaches. It is important to note that consuming caffeine and the use of some medications including steroid medications can deplete calcium and thus your needs maybe higher than the below.
Amounts needed:
In 1998, the Institute of Medicine at the National Academy of Sciences issued new Adequate Intake (AI) levels for calcium. The recommendations are as follows:
- 0-6 months: 210 mg
- 6-12 months: 270 mg
- 1-3 years: 500 mg
- 4-8 years: 800 mg
- 9-13 years: 1300 mg
- 14-18 years: 1300 mg
- 19-30 years: 1000 mg
- 31-50 years: 1000 mg
- 51+ years: 1200 mg
- Postmenopausal women not taking hormone replacement therapy: 1500 mg
- Pregnant and lactating women (younger than 18 years): 1300 mg
- Pregnant and lactating women (older than 18 years): 1000 mg
Adult: Additionally *Vit D 400-800 IU per day
Child: Additionally *Vit D 400 IU per day
* Vitamin D levels – are recommended to be checked in your annual exams
Calcium can be obtained from many sources over and above the dairy family. The following are examples of how to achieve your totals daily.
For example if you have 3 cups of milk or milk Fortified alternative per day as a template and then add 2 other categories dally you are well within the above recommended minimums.
Resource List 1 By Food Group
USDA nutrition references report the approximate calcium content in milligrams per 8 oz (1 cup) for many foods.
Specialty foods
Blackstrap Molasses
- Molasses, black strap 2820, 176.2 per tablespoon
Molasses, unsulphured 672, 42 per tablespoon - Carrot juice, fresh 57
Dark green leafy vegetables
Many dark green leafy vegetables have relatively high calcium concentrations. The calcium in spinach is however, somewhat poorly absorbed, probably because of the high concentration of oxalate. The study revealed that kale, a low-oxalate vegetable, is a good source of bio-available calcium. Kale is a member of the same family that includes broccoli, turnip greens, collard greens and mustard greens. These low-oxalate, calcium-rich vegetables are therefore also likely to be better sources of available calcium
- Cooked turnip greens 450
Cooked bok choy 330
Cooked collards 300
Cooked spinach 250
Cooked kale 200
Parsley 200
Cooked mustard greens 180
Dandelion greens 150
Romaine lettuce 40
Head lettuce 10
Sprouts
- Soy 50
Mung 35
Alfalfa 25
Sea vegetables (seaweed) (dried powdered form)
- wakame 3,500
- kombu 2,100
- nori 1,200
- agar-agar 1,000, 62.5 per tablespoon
Beans and Peas (cooked, ready to eat)
- Tofu, firm, prepared with calcium 1721
- Tofu, regular, prepared with nigari, 260
- Navy beans 140
Soybeans 130
Pinto beans 100
Garbanzo beans 95
Lima, black beans 60
Lentils 50
Split peas 20
Grains
- Tapioca (dried) 300
- Tortillas, corn, calcium fortified (2) 120
Brown rice, cooked 20
Quinoa, cooked 80
Corn meal, whole grain 50
Rye flour, dark 40
Oats 40 - Tortillas, flour or unfortified (2) 23
Whole wheat flour 50
Milk alternatives (goal 3 per day)
- Cow’s milk 300 mg per cup
- Soy beverage, calcium-fortified variable, check nutrition information; approx 200
- Soy beverage, unfortified 9.8
Nuts & Seeds
Flax Seeds
- Sesame seeds (whole, unhulled) 2,100
- Sesame butter (unhulled sesame seeds) 1022, 63.9 per tablespoon
- Almonds 750
Hazelnuts (filbert) 450 - Sesame butter/ tahini from hulled or decorticated seeds 315.2, 19.7 per tablespoon
- Walnuts 280
Sunflower seeds 260
Fish & Seafood
- Fish, canned sardines or mackerel eaten with bones 569
- Fish, canned salmon eaten with bones 440
- Shrimp 300
- Raw oysters 240
Beans & Legumes
- Kidney beans 300 mg per cup
Legumes 300 mg per cup
Chick peas 300 mg per cup
Dried Fruits
Eating five dried figs per day gives you 135 mg of calcium
Sea Veggies
- Kombu 1000-3000 mg per cup
- Wakame 1000-3000 mg per cup
Herbs
Dried Herbs
Don’t forget to use these herbs! These can boost your calcium even more!
Dried savory spice holds a whopping 2132mg of calcium per 100g serving.
Other dried herbs that are calcium rich include borage, lamb’s quarter dill, basil, marjoram, thyme, oregano, poppy seed, mint, celery seed, wild lettuce, nettles , burdock, yellow dock,sage, parsley and rosemary.
Resource List 2- By chart
| World’s Healthiest Foods ranked as quality sources of: calcium |
||||||
| Food | Serving Size |
Cals | Amount (mg) |
DV (%) |
Nutrient Density |
World’s Healthiest Foods Rating |
| Basil, dried, ground | 2 tsp | 7.5 | 63.40 | 6.3 | 15.2 | very good |
| Dill weed | 2 tsp | 5.1 | 35.68 | 3.6 | 12.7 | good |
| Turnip greens, cooked | 1 cup | 28.8 | 197.28 | 19.7 | 12.3 | excellent |
| Thyme, dried, ground | 2 tsp | 7.9 | 54.16 | 5.4 | 12.3 | very good |
| Spinach, boiled | 1 cup | 41.4 | 244.80 | 24.5 | 10.6 | excellent |
| Oregano, dried, ground | 2 tsp | 9.2 | 47.28 | 4.7 | 9.3 | good |
| Mustard greens, boiled | 1 cup | 21.0 | 103.60 | 10.4 | 8.9 | excellent |
| Cinnamon, ground | 2 tsp | 11.8 | 55.68 | 5.6 | 8.5 | very good |
| Collard greens, boiled | 1 cup | 49.4 | 226.10 | 22.6 | 8.2 | excellent |
| Kelp (sea vegetable) | 0.25 cup | 8.6 | 33.60 | 3.4 | 7.0 | good |
| Rosemary, dried | 2 tsp | 7.3 | 28.16 | 2.8 | 7.0 | good |
| Blackstrap molasses | 2 tsp | 32.1 | 117.53 | 11.8 | 6.6 | very good |
| Swiss chard, boiled | 1 cup | 35.0 | 101.50 | 10.2 | 5.2 | very good |
| Yogurt, low-fat | 1 cup | 155.1 | 447.37 | 44.7 | 5.2 | very good |
| Romaine lettuce | 2 cup | 15.7 | 40.32 | 4.0 | 4.6 | good |
| Kale, boiled | 1 cup | 36.4 | 93.60 | 9.4 | 4.6 | very good |
| Mozzarella cheese, part-skim, shredded | 1 oz-wt | 72.1 | 183.06 | 18.3 | 4.6 | very good |
| Celery, raw | 1 cup | 19.2 | 48.00 | 4.8 | 4.5 | good |
| Cow’s milk, 2% | 1 cup | 121.2 | 296.70 | 29.7 | 4.4 | very good |
| Cloves, dried, ground | 2 tsp | 14.2 | 28.40 | 2.8 | 3.6 | good |
| Goat’s milk | 1 cup | 167.9 | 325.74 | 32.6 | 3.5 | very good |
| Sardines | 3.25 oz can | 191.4 | 351.44 | 35.1 | 3.3 | good |
| Broccoli, steamed | 1 cup | 43.7 | 74.72 | 7.5 | 3.1 | good |
| Sesame seeds | 0.25 cup | 206.3 | 351.00 | 35.1 | 3.1 | good |
| Fennel, raw, sliced | 1 cup | 27.0 | 42.64 | 4.3 | 2.8 | good |
| Cabbage, shredded, boiled | 1 cup | 33.0 | 46.50 | 4.7 | 2.5 | good |
| Summer squash, cooked, slices | 1 cup | 36.0 | 48.60 | 4.9 | 2.4 | good |
| Green beans, boiled | 1 cup | 43.8 | 57.50 | 5.8 | 2.4 | good |
| Garlic | 1 oz-wt | 42.2 | 51.31 | 5.1 | 2.2 | good |
| Tofu, raw | 4 oz-wt | 86.2 | 100.00 | 10.0 | 2.1 | good |
| Mustard seeds | 2 tsp | 35.0 | 38.92 | 3.9 | 2.0 | good |
| Brussel sprouts, boiled | 1 cup | 60.8 | 56.16 | 5.6 | 1.7 | good |
| Oranges | 1 each | 61.6 | 52.40 | 5.2 | 1.5 | good |
| Asparagus, boiled | 1 cup | 43.2 | 36.00 | 3.6 | 1.5 | good |
| Crimini mushrooms, raw | 5 oz-wt | 31.2 | 25.52 | 2.6 | 1.5 | good |
| World’s Healthiest Foods Rating |
Rule | ||||
| excellent | DV>=75% | OR | Density>=7.6 | AND | DV>=10% |
| very good | DV>=50% | OR | Density>=3.4 | AND | DV>=5% |
| good | DV>=25% | OR | Density>=1.5 | AND | DV>=2.5% |
Source: www.wholefoods.com
Supplement:
If required
1. Liquid-Genestra liquid cal mag 1 tbsp = 600 mg, once per day btwn a meal before bed
OR
2. Tablet-DynaCal – 2/ day between a meal Douglas
OR
3. Powder- Cal Ess Min- 1 tsp per day btwn meal Alpha Science
Check with your Naturopathic Doctor for exact recommendations
Choose 3 milk alternatives per day
and add 2 other categories per day to reach optimal range
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PRIVATE ITEMS
