Nutritionists and medical professionals alike explain how important it is to get enough calcium in your diet. If you don’t like to drink milk or you’re a vegetarian you may need help meeting the body’s need for this mineral. Here are some easy ways to eat more calcium.
Perhaps your problem isn’t that you’re not getting enough calcium in your diet but that your body doesn’t absorb it like it should. Caffeine, alcohol and salt can inhibit calcium absorption. You could also spend time in the sunshine each day. This will provide vitamin D as well as help your body absorb calcium better.
- Smoothies are a great way to get calcium even if you don’t like the taste of milk. By adding fresh or frozen fruit, you won’t necessarily taste the milk. And the nice thing about smoothies is that you can make them with any fruit you like.
- Calcium-fortified juice is another option if you don’t like the taste of milk. Some manufacturers are now adding extra calcium to some juices. If you need to add more calcium to your diet, this may be one way to do it. You’ll also get extra vitamin C, as well.
- Low-fat milk is an option for many people looking for easy ways to eat more calcium. If you don’t have a problem drinking milk it is a good idea to drink low-fat rather than full-fat milk. The amount of calcium is the same for all types of milk; the only difference is the amount of fat each contains and possibly the taste.
- Low-fat yogurt is another way to get calcium to your diet. If you like, you can add fruit to the yogurt. This will stretch the yogurt as well as provide you with extra vitamins and minerals.
- Beans are also a good source of calcium. If you want to get the most calcium from beans, it’s best to soak them. This will help your body absorb the calcium better. The beans which contain the most calcium are soy, tofu, pinto, garbanzo, great northern, winged and kidney beans.
- Almonds are another source of calcium you may want to add to your diet. They can be added to salad or eaten by the handful.
- Cheeses will also provide much-needed calcium. These can be added to your diet in many ways. Put a slice of cheese on your sandwich or make a salad and sprinkle cheese on top.
- Green leafy vegetables also contain a decent amount of calcium. Use them as the basis for salad, wrap meats and cheeses in them for a no-carbohydrate sandwich wrap, or eat them as greens.
If you’re looking for easy ways to eat more calcium, you can use any of the above ideas. There are so many foods which contain calcium. Eat more of the above foods and you’ll be increasing the calcium you consume, whether you like to drink milk or not.
