Foods that help increase Calcium in your diet

Often we think that making sure we have enough Calcium in our diet means we need to drink litres and litres of milk. But in fact, this isn’t the case. There are many great and nutritious foods that have calcium in them.

Ways to add Calcium into your diet, without thinking too hard

We’ve found a few foods that are naturally packed with Calcium, and some ideas of how to prep this food and include them into your diet.

Calcium rich foods:

• Tofu has 832mg of calcium per cup (regular milk has 304mg). Tofu can be fried and added to stir fries, salads and fried rice dishes
• Natural yoghurt has more calcium than milk and can be added to breakfast dishes, smoothies, soups and curries.
• Cheese’s such as cheddar, parmesan and creme fraiche are great cheeses to add to dishes such as pasta, lasagne, soups or even on your lunchtime sandwich.
• Canned pink salmon has as much calcium as 200ml of milk. This versatile and convenient food can be used in sandwiches, salads, pasta bakes etc.
• Tahini, one of the ingredients in hummus is packed with protein and calcium. Delicious as a dip, a side to roast veg or smeared on wraps.
• Dried figs are great in your cupboard, just six dried figs provide 160mg of calcium! Add them to lunch boxes, on top of cheeses, as a snack or add to your breakfast.
• Chickpeas and inexpensive and can be eaten straight from the tin, or boiled from dried. They are very versatile and can be added to soups, salads, fritters or even baked as an on-the-go snack.
• Almonds are full of calcium AND Vitamin E, plus dietary fibre, heart-healthy mono and polyunsaturated fats. They are a great snack on the go, and perfect for kids lunches.
• Sardines have both calcium and Vitamin D, which together are essential for bone health. Try making a pasta sauce with sardines snuck in, or making fish cakes from tinned sardines.
• Broccoli has been found to have higher rates of calcium absorption than other leafy greens! So load up on broccoli in soups, as roast veg or just steamed.

By combining the above nutrients in different dishes, you’ll be able to increase your calcium intake through your meals. Consider mixing some of the above ingredients with carbohydrates and protein, as well as healthy fats to create well-rounded meals.