Q&A
Lactose-Intolerance: Non-Dairy Calcium Food Sources
Question:
I'm lactose-intolerant and can't eat much dairy. How can I get enough calcium?
Most women need approximately 1,000mg of calcium daily to maintain optimal bone health. You can aim to get 500mg from food, and the other 500mg to 700mg from calcium supplements. Here are some non-dairy sources to choose from:
Fortified soymilk products
Soymilk and tofu (which is made from soymilk) can be an excellent source of calcium. But you'll need to check the nutrition label and opt for those that are calcium-enriched because most of the calcium naturally present in whole soybeans is lost during soymilk production. A good source is fortified soymilk, which has about 200mg of calcium per cup. Tofu which has been processed with calcium sulfate is another calcium-rich source and contains around 250mg of calcium per 4-ounce serving. Tofu's versatility lends itself well to all kinds of dishes. Check out these tofu recipes.
Bones
Include fish with edible bones like canned sardines and salmon in your diet. When you eat the bones of these fish, you are consuming their calcium deposits and taking in a pretty good serving of dietary calcium. 3 ounces of sardines packed in oil, for example, contain approximately 300mg of calcium, while canned salmon has about 195mg per 3-ounce serving.
Leafy greens
Good choices are spinach (245mg of calcium per cup), collards (266mg), turnip greens (197mg) and Swiss chard (100mg), kale (180mg), and broccoli (80mg).
Calcium-fortified foods
Look for foods enriched with calcium, like calcium-fortified orange juice (320mg per cup) and calcium-fortified cereals (600mg). Although the type of calcium found in fortified foods isn't as readily absorbed as naturally occurring calcium, it's still considered a good option.
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