Women are often cautioned about the importance of osteoporosis prevention. There is no doubt that osteoporosis can be a devastating disease, causing risk of fracture and loss of freedom.
What we need to know is there are many sources of calcium, one of the components of healthy bones, other than dairy. The following chart will give you a wide variety of foods from which you can derive calcium.
Eating calcium-rich foods rather than taking supplements is always the preferred way of getting this nutrient.
(per 3 ½ oz serving, in milligrams)
Vegetables
Cooked beet greens 119 Boiled collards 188
Cooked or raw broccoli 130 Parsley 203
Cooked chard 73 Watercress 151
Boiled kale 187 Turnip greens, boiled 184
Cooked carrots 33
Sea Vegetables
Dulse 2 96 Kelp 1093
Kombu 800 Wakame 1300
Seafood
Canned salmon with bones 200-250 Sardines with bones 300-437
Seeds/nuts
Almonds 254 Brazil nuts 186
Raisins 62 Sesame seeds 1,160
Walnuts, roasted 83
Dairy
Cheddar cheese 750
Cow’s milk 118 Human milk 33
Swiss cheese 925
When being conscious of your calcium intake, be aware of foods that drain it. For instance, large quantities of protein in the diet tends to acidify the blood, and to bring it into balance, calcium is often released from the bones. Excess wine, vinegar and citrus have a similar effect.
Weight bearing exercise is important for bone health as well. Walking, weight training and walking in bare feet all contribute to healthy bones.
Smoking, excessive amounts of sugar, coffee, tea, soda and alcohol have a detrimental effect on the bones.