The Trouble with Dairy

There are all kinds of reasons why people avoid dairy, or at least limit their intake. The most common ones, from what I’ve seen, are centered around health, weight loss, the environment, and animal welfare.

I used to eat dairy with almost every meal. I just didn’t think about it. But, I started following a more plant-based Flexitarian diet, about five years ago. I consciously backed off on dairy (and all other animal products) to reduce inflammation and increase my mobility. I have a spinal condition, plus many other joint injuries, and I am trying to lose weight and reverse insulin resistance.

Recently, even that one serving a day has been causing me digestive issues and inflammation, so I started looking for non-dairy calcium sources, as well as other ways to replace the nutrients from dairy.

Whatever your reason(s) for avoiding dairy or backing off on it, learning how to get enough calcium from other foods can be very beneficial.

Please don’t hesitate to take a calcium supplement (along with Vitamin K) if you feel that you need it. I recommend the Kal brand, because it is the cleanest, most economical source that I could find. I prefer to take a cal/mag/zinc combo. You can check it out, here.

Non-Dairy Calcium Foods

Most of these food sources of non-dairy calcium are plant-based, but there are a few animal-based items in there, as well. If you’re vegan, just skip past those.

Unfortunately, it is easier to absorb nutrients from animal products. One reason is because there isn’t all that fiber getting in the way. Also, oxalates in greens, such as spinach, can block your digestive system from absorbing calcium and other minerals. The same goes for the variety of antinutrients present in raw nuts, seeds, grains, beans, and legumes.

So, if you’re vegan, vegetarian, whole food plant-based, or Flexitarian, you may have to go to extra measures to remove some of the antinutrients from your plant foods. I’ll touch on that more, with the suggestions, below. 

Also, taking a Vitamin D supplement is a great idea, if you are getting most of your nutrients from plants, or leaning in that direction. Vitamin D can help ameliorate some of the negative effects of consuming phytates.

Eating foods that are high in Vitamin C (like broccoli, oranges, and strawberries) can help with your plant-based mineral absorption. The same goes for garlic and onions.

Because I love to cook, I will share some ways to use these foods.

I’m including daily percentage of calcium per serving size…at least as far as I can tell, using Cronometer.com.

I also want to make this list easy to remember. So, I’m being particularly careful with the order that I present these foods in. You’ll see savory options followed by sweeter ones.

Here are nineteen food sources of non-dairy calcium: 

Tofu

Tofu is amazing! It will soak up the flavor of any sauce and seasonings that you put on it and there are a plethora of ways to cook it. Firm tofu is most often used in savory dishes, while silken tofu is more likely to be found in non-dairy desserts, like vegan chocolate mousse. I even tossed some firm tofu in my buckwheat waffle mix, recently, to give it more protein and body. I’m definitely going to do that, again. 

Tofu comes packaged in a solution, which commonly has things like calcium sulfate in it. A 3-ounce serving of tofu will usually yield about 6% of your daily calcium needs. I would recommend getting sprouted tofu, if you can. Trader Joe’s sells it, if you’re lucky to live near one. The reason for getting sprouted tofu is that soybeans have a lot of phytates and other antinutrients in them. Those antinutrients can keep you from absorbing minerals, like calcium and iron. Sprouting releases a good percentage of antinutrients. You don’t want anything getting in between you and your non-dairy calcium, right? Right. 

Edamame

Edamame are young soy beans. They have a sort of mild nutty flavor and they’re a staple of Japanese cuisine. They make for a great high-protein low-carb appetizer, which can keep you from overdoing it on sushi. Wow, I used to put that stuff away. Those were the days…

People have come up with all kinds of crazy and fun ways to use edamame beans, in the past couple of decades. I’ve seen them used to make “hummus”, as well as gluten-free noodles. You can toss them in salads, put them on top of risotto, and you can even bake them into a crunchy snack. Edamame are fun to eat on their own, too. You can get them shelled or not. It depends on whether you want to work to get access to them. 

Edamame beans usually come pre-cooked, so there’s really no way to soak or sprout them, to remove antinutrients. Oh, well. 

Anyhoo, one cup of shelled edamame beans can give you up to 9% of your daily recommended calcium. 

Black Beans

I love black beans. Did you know that the dark pigment comes from a class of phytonutrients called anthocyanins, which are known to help reduce blood sugar and chronic inflammation? 

Black beans and rice (or oats, for those of us who have to watch our blood sugar) with some salsa and guacamole is a quick, easy, and nutritious meal. Black bean sweet potato chili is also amazing, if you like a bit of heat. I use black beans in my Buddha bowls, along with some whole oats, roasted veggies, steamed kale, and tahini sauce. Have you ever heard of black bean brownies? Yeah, that’s a thing, too, LOL.

There are so many ways to use black beans. They are very inexpensive and one of the most nutritious beans available.

You can get up to 5% of your daily calcium from a half cup of black beans. Yeah, that’s not a whole ton, but it all adds up, right? For the best results, soak your black beans overnight in some water and apple cider vinegar, before cooking, to reduce the phytates and other antinutrients.

White Beans

White beans are mild in flavor and a staple of Mediterranean cuisine. Have you ever had Tuscan white bean soup? It is so delicious! You can skip the chicken broth and make it fully plant-based. Toss some white beans in a food processor with garlic, herbs, salt, pepper, and a bit of olive oil, to make a lovely dip for chips and veggies. 

I have put white beans in my smoothies, to give them a lovely texture, plus ramp up the protein and calcium content. You can’t really taste them. Did I mention the mild flavor? 

One half cup of white beans will yield up to 4% of your daily calcium needs. Treat them the same way you would the black beans, with the soaking before cooking, to get the most out of them. 

Kale

Kale. I used to avoid the stuff, LOL. Maybe it was too trendy for me? I am also concerned about thyroid issues, which is partly why I stayed away.

However, I started following Dr. Greger’s Daily Dozen and watching some of his videos, about six months ago. He recommends eating a serving of cruciferous vegetables and two servings of greens, every day. Fortunately, kale is both a green and a cruciferous veg. I love a good twofer, don’t you?

I do steam or otherwise cook my kale, to reduce the potential goitrogenic (thyroid) effect. I was never a raw kale fan, anyway, but cooking kale transforms it, as long as you don’t overcook it. To avoid that, keep a close eye on it, when steaming. Also, wait until your soups are mostly done cooking, before tossing the kale in there.

So far, adding kale to my soups is my favorite way of eating it. I’ve come up with a couple different soups that it’s really great in, like a chicken(less) soup and a creamy mushroom lentil (and kale) soup. 

If you follow Dr. Greger, you might know that he recommends chopping broccoli 45 minutes before you cook it, to release the beneficial sulforaphane. I figure that the same goes with kale (and all other cruciferous vegetables), so I chop it and let it sit for a while, before cooking it. BTW, I wrote a post about how to get more cruciferous vegetables into your belly, if you want to check it out. 

If you like raw kale, more power to you! You can make salads, smoothies, and plenty of other things with it.

You’ve heard of kale chips, right? I’m not a super fan of fried things, but if you need something crunchy, that may be a healthier alternative to other chips. 

For extra extra nutrients, go for the dark green or  purple (hello, anthocyanins!) varieties of kale. 

One cup of raw kale will give you up to 5% of your daily calcium. Fortunately, it’s low in oxylates (unlike spinach), which is why it’s my main go-to green, these days. 

Butternut Squash

This one surprised me. I had no idea that butternut squash was a fair source of plant-based calcium. But one cup can cover up to 9% of your daily calcium needs. Alright!

Butternut squash is not necessarily part of my diet, because it’s a little too starchy for me and I’m pretty sure it spikes my blood sugar, but it’s very nutritious. If you like it and can tolerate it, butternut squash can be steamed, boiled, baked, roasted, pan fried, etc. It can be used to make gluten-free noodles, soups, stews, and plenty of other dishes. 

Bok Choy

Bok choy is perhaps not the sexiest vegetable on the list. However, it is a fantastic plant-based source of calcium. You can get up to 7% of your RDV from a cup of raw bok choy and up to 15% from a cup of cooked bok choy. 

Bonus: if you’re following Dr. Greger’s Daily Dozen, bok choy counts as both a leafy green and a cruciferous vegetable. I would say it’s one of the mildest tasting cruciferous vegetables, as well. Bok choy also has a fair amount of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and Vitamin K. 

I have juiced bok choy, along with celery and other vegetables, and that turned out fairy well. Because it doesn’t have a ton of flavor, bok choy could potentially be included (or dare I say “hidden”?) in a lot of things. For example, I could see using bok choy juice as a base for a plant-based soup. You can also pan fry bok choy, along with other vegetables, meat, seasonings, etc. 

I’m not an expert on how to use bok choy, yet. But, considering that my new doctor strongly encouraged me to let go of dairy, today…I plan on becoming one. Fast. 

Make sure to check out the bioavailability section, below, for more information on bok choy. 

Sardines

Mmm…sardines. Okay, I’m not going to lie. I don’t super love sardines. But, I appreciate them for their high-quality super absorbable calcium content. Remember how I said that it’s easier to absorb calcium from animal foods? Yeah, that. 

I see sardines as a sort of medicine. I’ll quickly munch my way through a canful of them and then eat something that I find more enjoyable, like a bowl of my creamy lentil mushroom soup. 

A can of sardines will cover about 10% of your daily calcium needs. The good news is that you don’t have to soak, sprout, dehydrate, or otherwise babysit them. You can just open a can and go for it. Bonus: sardines are also a good source of collagen (from the skin) and omega-3’s, as well as Vitamin B-12. Because they’re very small and low down on the food chain, they don’t have a ton of mercury or other contaminants, either. 

I’d recommend getting them canned in water, with bones (calcium) and skin intact. Wildcaught sardines are going to be much higher quality than farmed ones, as well. Trader Joe’s is a good source, but you should be able to find them at any major grocery store. 

By the way, canned salmon (bone-in) is also supposed to be a good source of calcium, if you prefer that to sardines. 

Clams

Clams are delightful, in my opinion. I used to enjoy them in clam chowder, but I can’t do that, anymore. Sad face 🙁

However, you can make a lovely dairy-free pasta sauce with a can of clams (including the juice), olive oil, nutritional yeast (for cheesy flavor), garlic, sea salt, pepper, and a bit of guar gum to thicken it. I’m sure there are other non-dairy recipes that use clams, as well. You might have to do some exploring to find them. 

One can of clams will give you about 5% of your daily calcium. That’s not a ton, but they are more enjoyable than sardines, in my opinion, and clams are a high quality source. Clams are also a great source of iron, Vitamin B-12, and they are packed with other nutrients. 

Marinara

I didn’t realize that marinara sauce was a source of calcium, until I was cruising through the stats on Cronometer.com, one day. I saw that a 1/2 cup serving of marinara (even without cheese) has about 4% of the daily recommended value of calcium. 

I don’t know about you, but I love marinara. Why? Because it’s delicious and quite versatile. I just put two jars of portobello mushroom marinara in my white bean soup, to jazz it up, and it’s so good! Of course, it can be ladled over spaghetti, you can toss veggies in it, and I don’t know about you, but I really enjoy marinara in a meatball sandwich. 

If you’re trying to stay away from dairy, make sure to check your labels, because cheese is sometimes used to make marinara. Whole Foods has a few different varieties, all of which are completely plant-based. Trader Joe’s might be a good place to check, as well. Same with Sprouts. 

Broccoli

Broccoli is so chockfull of nutrients and its calcium content is yet another reason to “eat your trees”. One cup of broccoli will give you about 4% of your daily calcium and it’s easy enough to eat twice that. 

Steaming is kind of the obvious way to prepare broccoli. but you can roast it, as well. If you eat meat and want an Asian treat, there’s always beef and broccoli. On the other hand, if you only eat plants, I’ve seen some appealing recipes for a vegan “cream of broccoli”.

Make sure to save the stems, because you can make broccoli slaw out of them. Doesn’t that sound like a delightful barbecue side, with summer approaching?

Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are delicious and packed with nutrients, including a fair amount of calcium. One cup will yield about 7% of your daily calcium, according to Cronometer.com, which is pretty darned good!

I mean, what can’t you do with sweet potatoes? They can be baked like a jacket potato and filled with goodies. You can also just eat them plain. Sweet potato fries are one of my favorite side dishes. Yum! Have you ever heard of black bean and sweet potato chili? The sweetness really helps to balance out the heat. Sweet potatoes can also be boiled, mashed, and seasoned. I’ve heard of them being steamed, too, though I haven’t tried that method, yet. 

If you’re watching your blood sugar, be aware that roasting and baking can jack up the glycemic index of a sweet potato. So peel, cut, and boil your sweet potatoes, instead, if that’s something you have to be careful of. I know they’re not quite as sexy that way, but neither is high blood sugar. Just sayin’!

Eggs

Aren’t these guys adorable? One egg will give you 2% of your daily calcium, which isn’t a whole lot, but who eats just one egg? I don’t eat eggs very often, but when I do, I usually have two of three. Because eggs are animal-based, the calcium from them is generall very easy for the body to absorb. The key word here is “bioavailable”. 

How do you like your eggs? Obviously, they can be prepared is a plethora of ways; poached, boiled, baked into quiche, sunny-side-up, over easy. I love a good egg salad sandwish. Oh! Devilled eggs are one of my favorite party treats, ever!

Eggs are traditionally used as a binder and fluffing agent (technical term…that I just made up, LOL) for quick breads, brownies, cookies, custards, and so many more goodies. 

Quality matters, when it comes to eggs. I usually look for pasture-raised omega-3 eggs, when I go grocery shopping. 

Almonds

Almonds are so versatile! They can be eaten whole, chopped up and toasted, ground into almond butter, etc. According to Cronometer.com, a 1 ounce serving of almonds will give you 7% of your daily recommended value of calcium.

I know it’s an extra step and it may seem like a pain-in-the butt, however…I’d recommend soaking and dehydrating your almonds, rather than eating them raw, to get the most calcium out of them and to avoid digestive upset. Make sure to chew them well, too, rather than gobbling them down. 

Oranges

It’s blood orange season. Yum! Did you know that one medium orange will cover about 5% of your daily calcium needs? 

Oranges are great just peeled and eaten as a snack, sliced as a compliment to egg dishes, cut up in fruit salads, used as a colorful garnish, freshly squeezed into juice, etc. 

Because they come in their own package and they’re not too messy (unlike sardines!), they are one of the more portable non-dairy calcium options on this list. So, if you enjoy oranges, make sure to have some on-hand, to take with you, on-the-go. If it fits within your diet, pair an orange with a handful of almonds, for a calcium-rich snack. 

Soy Milk

If you’re going dairy-free, trying to find a substitute for milk, and can tolerate soy, then soy milk is the way to go, in my opinion. It has a similiar body to it (it’s thicker than almond milk, for example), you can get 7 grams of high quality plant-based protein, per cup, and it’s usually fortified with vitamin d and calcium. In fact, you’ll probably get about 24% of your daily recommended value of calcium from that one cup. 

Need I count the ways that soy milk can be used? Okay, I’ll list a few. You can pour it onto your cereal, use it to wash down a cookie, add it to baking mixes, smoothies, chia pudding, etc. I mix a cup of soy milk with a cup of roasted chicory and heat that up for my morning “coffee”. I also enjoy that combo iced. 

There are plenty of savory applications for soy milk, as well. I learned a trick from Maddie over at the YouTube channel “Let’s Eat Plants” and started substituting soy milk for some of the coconut cream in a soup recipe, to cut down on the fat and calories. It turned out really well! I’m going to have to post my creamy mushroom lentil soup recipe, soon, because it’s amazing and it would be selfish to keep all of that goodness to myself. 

I’d recommend getting the unsweetened variety of soy milk. The best source of it is the 365 brand from Whole Foods (when it’s in stock), which comes in half gallon containers, in the refrigerated section. It lasts for a while, too. I go through about three half gallons a week, for just myself. You can get it in shelf-stable cartons, too, though those are less economical. I really like the one from Trader Joe’s, because it has a lovely flavor and texture. 

Not all soy milks are fortified. So, look for ones that are, if you need it to count towards your daily value. 

Figs

Figs are delicious! They are high glycemic, so I can’t eat them, myself, but I wanted to let you know about their calcium content, in case you can. One cup of figs will give you about 4% of your daily calcium.

Yeah, that’s not a whole ton, but if you chop up some figs (I’d stick to half a cup) and toss them on a bed of oatmeal, along with some slivered almonds and soy milk, that’s a calcium-rich breakfast. Add some soaked chia seeds (see below) for even more calcium. 

There are plenty of other uses for figs, but the only other ones I can think of involve animal foods that are not really on my menu, so I shall refrain from mentioning them. 

But, if you enjoy figs and can handle the sugar, I’m sure there are plenty of recipes that you can find using them. Just do a little Googling. 

Chia Seeds

Chia seeds are one of the richest plant-based sources of calcium, naturally (without fortification). A two tablespoon serving can get you up to 12% of your daily calcium. You’ll probably want to soak them overnight in a little apple cider vinegar or other acid, though, to release the antinutrients and get the most calcium out of your chia. 

Chia seeds are amazing! They can be used in baked goods, as a thickener for sauces, floating in kombucha (I think that’s the first way that I ever had them in food), tossed into smoothies, mixed in your oatmeal, etc. 

 The most popular way to use chia seeds is to make a “pudding” out of them. In case you’re not hip to that, yet, chia seeds gel up to many times they’re original size. You can mix them with soy milk, sweetener (unless you’re trying to keep it low-carb), nut butter, cocoa powder, coconut milk, fruit, whatever. 

There are so many ways to incorporate chia seeds into your diet. Since they are packed with calcium, as well as omega-3’s and other nutrients, I’d recommend that you find some ways to do so, especially if you’re backing of on dairy or cutting it out, altogether.

Strawberries

I love strawberries and I’m so glad they are coming into season! They are very low in sugar and calories, as well as relatively low-glycemic. One cup of strawberries yields about 5% of your daily calcium, but you might be able to get away with eating twice that, in a serving, without it having too much of an impact on your blood sugar or waistline. 

Strawberries are great as a topping for oatmeal and waffles. You can just nosh them, as is, or dip them in dark chocolate, for a special treat. They are fab boiled down into a low-sugar jam. You can even find freeze-dried strawberries (Trader Joe’s) and keep those on-hand for a very portable, crunchy, delightful snack. 

Late spring and summer are the best times to get strawberries, because they’re more likely to be ripe and on sale. You should be able to find strawberries year-round in the freezer section of most major grocery stores, though. 

Meal Ideas

Alright, so now you’ve got the components, but how do you work them into meals? I’m going to show you some calcium-packed meal and snack ideas. If you’re doing low-carb, omit the grains and fruits.

Breakfast

– Scrambled eggs with kale and mushrooms, topped with marinara + 1/2 serving of oat groats (or grain of your choice) + orange slices + soy milk/coffee

– Runny eggs with black beans and salsa + orange slices + soy milk/coffee

– Oatmeal chia pudding (soak overnight) + cinnamon + sliced strawberries  + soy milk/coffee

– Sweet potato hash with steamed kale, mushrooms, bell pepper, onion + eggs + soy milk/coffee

– Protein smoothie with cup soy milk, black beans, almond butter, strawberries, steamed sweet potato (for sweetness), and cocoa powder

Sweet Snack

– almonds + fruit (strawberries, figs, or orange)

– soy yogurt with granola, strawberries, and toasted almonds

– chia pudding soaked with soy milk, cinnamon, sea salt + fruit + nuts

– oat bread with almond butter and fig jam

– strawberry rhubarb crumble with oat & almond topping

Savory Snack

– devilled eggs + oat chia crackers

– giant white beans in tomato sauce (Trader Joe’s)

– edamame beans + miso soup with tofu

Lunch or Dinner

– Sardines and marinara over grains, side of broccoli

– White bean soup with bok choy juice, kale, tomatoes, basil, garlic, sea salt, and pepper

– Edamame pasta with creamy clam sauce (soy milk, coconut milk, nutritional yeast, garlic, sea salt, pepper, clam juice, guar gum, clams) + side of veggie (sweet potato, butternut squash, steamed broccoli or kale)

– Sweet potato noodles with marinara, topped with runny eggs or meat of your choice

– Baked sweet potato with black bean chili

– Curried butternut squash & white bean soup (smooth or chunky) + oat bread

– Buddha bowl with white beans, oat groats, steamed kale, roasted cherry tomatoes, and tahini sauce

– Tofu satay with sesame seeds, spicy almond sauce + side of broccoli and/or sweet potato