by Sorcha Ni Dhomhnaill

Created on: May 18, 2009   Last Updated: May 22, 2009

As researchers continue to discover the benefits of a calcium-rich diet for growth, bone density, and general health, advertising campaigns for milk have become more and more aggressive. As a result, the number of other foods high in calcium has often been forgotten. Those with dietary restrictions or health issues often over-rely on specially fortified foods without adding diversity to their diet.

Fortunately, there is a great variety of foods that are good sources of calcium. It's just a question of knowing which ones to choose and making sure to combine them whenever possible. Next time you're at your local grocery store, keep an eye out for these high-calcium foods:

Green Vegetables

It's easy to get in the habit of eating calcium-rich greens without even having to cook: start with a before-dinner salad of leaf lettuce or spinach, and add parsley, endive, or mustard greens for variety. The leaves of beets and turnips can be used as well - the younger the vegetable, the better the greens will taste.

Members of the brassica family of vegetables, such as cabbage, kale, broccoli, and bok choy, tend to be high in calcium. Broccoli topped with cheese sauce or soy cheese makes an easy and delicious side. Collard greens, another high-calcium brassica variety, are often the main feature of the meal when it comes to southern cooking.

Fruit

Grapes and raw pineapple are the stars here. Other fruits high in calcium include grapefruit, pears, plums, peaches, lemons, and apples. Drink grapefruit juice with breakfast or roast almonds, another high calcium food, to accent a fruit salad tossed in lemon juice.

Seeds, Nuts and Legumes

Sesame seeds are an indispensable high-calcium food because of their low phosphorus, which aids in mineral absorption. They last for quite a while and can be bought in bulk to be added in small amounts to stir-fry, noodle dishes, and breads. Roast them in a pan with onions to make a unique seasoning for vegetables. They can also be ground into a paste and added to sauces and dressings.

Legumes are another family of calcium-rich plants. Green peas and carob (a sweet bean often ground into a flour for baking) have the highest calcium levels, followed by beans and lentils. Make baked beans with plenty of molasses, which is also high in calcium.

Meat and Soy

Salmon, herring, and sardines are all high in minerals, including calcium. They also contain plenty of vitamins and Omega-3 fatty acids. Salmon and sardines in particular tend to be less contaminated with mercury than other fish. Sardines are an acquired taste for most people. Try spreading small amounts on sesame seed crackers. Serve poached salmon with lemon and parsley (cream sauce optional), or encrust it with sesame seeds and serve it over a bed of greens.

Tofu is a great vegan source of calcium. Despite the grumbling some carnivores do whenever it's mentioned, it's actually an easy food to incorporate into your diet. Besides crumbling it on salads, try a tofu curry with broccoli and soy sauce. Silken tofu can be food processed to a velvety consistency for dips (try making a non-dairy dill dip for vegetables) and smoothies. More adventurous eaters might want to make a molasses-based barbecue sauce for a tofu steak.

Finally, make sure to check nutrition labels on packaged products because the amounts of nutrients often varies quite a bit between individual items. Keeping the basics of nutrition in mind, it should be possible to come up with many different ideas for delicious, exciting high-calcium meals.

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