5 Food Sources of Calcium & When You Should Consider a (Vegan) Calcium Supplement – Herbaland Canada

Why is Calcium Important? Here are 5 Foods with Calcium & the Beauty of (Vegan) Calcium Supplements

February 07, 2023

Your health is a gift that’s invaluable. But in order to maintain your health, you have to take care of this “gift.” Calcium is one of the essential building blocks for great health. The good news is that there are, in fact, many sources of calcium in your food, even (vegan) calcium supplements if need be.

You can easily incorporate calcium naturally into your diet — that is if you follow a healthy balanced diet. But why is it that so many of us don’t these days?

You remember your mom yelling from across the kitchen table, “Finish your milk, sweety. Don’t you want to be big and strong later?” Yep, we’ve all heard this line, again and again. At 1,078,980 breakfasts, for years and years throughout our childhood.

Moms mean well — after all, they know what’s good for us and guide us until we’re ready to spread our wings. And the truth is, milk has always been the food (or beverage) of choice when it comes to finding a source of calcium.

Maybe you’ve always had an aversion to the taste of the popular white gold or you’re vegan and looking for plant-based options. No worries! There are so many sources of calcium in your food that we’ll find some that are yummy and delicious to you.

And there’s more good news: to support good health, a variety of calcium supplements are available, even vegan calcium supplements. Sometimes life is hectic and we’re so preoccupied that a balanced diet isn’t easy to accomplish but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t a fix for that.

But before we dive into the best sources of calcium in the foods we eat, let’s learn a little bit more about calcium and why it’s so important for our well-being.

The Importance of Calcium in Your Body

Calcium is the most common mineral you can find in the human body. While most prevalent in teeth and bones, calcium can also be found in cells, tissues, and blood — which should give you an idea of the importance of calcium in your body.¹

There are countless functions that involve calcium as a key player, including the fact that calcium can support bone health, help with muscle contractions and movement, as well as aid neurological functions that allow us to receive and send messages through our nervous system.¹

But there’s more — calcium is also a major contributor to healthy heart function given its contributing role to healthy electrical signals needed for a normal heartbeat.²

Many of our everyday activities rely on healthy levels of calcium in our blood. Don’t underestimate the importance of calcium in your body — it can truly make a difference in your bodily functions and abilities, and impact the way that your life will look.

Obviously, the next question on our list is: what can we do to maintain healthy calcium levels and support our general well-being?

Below are some sources of calcium you can find in everyday foods that you can integrate into your daily routine. Don’t forget that there are calcium supplements, as well as vegan calcium supplements that can be used as an alternative.

Sources of Calcium in Everyday Foods

According to the National Library of Medicine, the RDA (recommended daily allowance) for calcium in adults is 1,000 to 1,200 mg daily.³ For children and adolescents, that range is 700 mg to 1,300 mg per day.³

Therefore, you definitely want to make sure to incorporate sources of calcium in your foods daily — or take a calcium supplement instead.

Whether you’re vegan, vegetarian, an indulgent meat eater, or anything in between, there are sources of calcium out there for you.

Here’s a list of foods with calcium that you can easily weave into your diet:

(1) Dairy Products

This is a classic — milk, cheese, and yogurt make good sources of calcium that you can find with the rest of your refrigerated foods. Whether it’s a glass of milk with breakfast, yogurt as a midmorning snack, or a cheese biscuit, dairy products provide you with plenty of calcium.

Don’t worry if you’re vegan, you won’t miss out. There’s an abundance of plant-based calcium alternatives that you can drink, eat, or cook. In fact, all of the following options are for plant lovers.

(2) Almonds

Whether you grab a handful of almonds for on-the-go or substitute whole milk with almond milk, you’ve found a great source of calcium. Only 100 grams of almonds can contain 254 mg of calcium⁴ and 100 grams of almond milk can provide you with an impressive 158 grams of calcium.⁵

If you haven’t tried the nutty side of life yet, it’s time!

(3) Seeds

Seeds make for a great topping for your regular meals and many are, in fact, a great source of calcium as well. Try adding sesame seeds to your bread and salads or use Tahini (sesame paste) when you cook.

You also want to try chia seed pudding in the morning before heading out for work. You can easily make it with almond milk (for even more calcium) and add yummy fruit for a little sweetness.

(4) Edamame

Edamame might still be more popular in Asia but it has definitely jumped borders in the past few years. Emerging as a healthy snack in the Western World, edamame is a source of calcium, protein, and fiber, and is now known as a nutritional powerhouse.

Don’t miss out on this exotic soybean that can get you on track to a healthy diet.

(5) Leafy Greens

This is a great category for all vegans and individuals following a plant-based diet and it’s incredibly versatile.

Leafy greens are a must-have on any list of foods with calcium in them. Whether it’s a kale salad, cooked collards, or spinach feta pastries, you can definitely hit your calcium RDA.

Calcium with Vitamin D3 — Does the Combination Matter?

I’m sure by now you understand just how important calcium is for your body, particularly your bones. But how does vitamin D3 fit into the picture?

See, while calcium is essential for building bones and helping with muscle movement, vitamin D3 allows your body to absorb calcium effectively. This means that even if you consume plenty of calcium, you still need vitamin D3 for proper absorption and allocation of calcium.

This is why many foods have been fortified with vitamin D, so you can get calcium with vitamin D3. Try fortified milk, whether it’s cow milk or plant-based milk, cereals, formula for infants, or fortified yogurts.⁶

However, in total, not many foods are fortified with vitamin D, as you most easily get vitamin D through sun exposure.⁶ If your sun exposure is inadequate, you might want to consider supplementation. Luckily, there are supplements available that offer calcium with vitamin D3 as one tablet or gummy.

Healthy Calcium Levels with (Vegan) Calcium Supplements

Whatever route you ultimately choose, or have to choose for your health, there’s no denying the importance of calcium in your body.

If you’re able to incorporate calcium naturally into your diet, know that there is a long list of foods with calcium out there — many of which are vegan-friendly options.

But if you’re struggling with your diet and can’t seem to maintain your calcium intake, try a calcium supplement that’ll do the trick and keep your mind at ease.

At Herbaland, we believe in offering high-quality supplements for adults and kids, and we even cranked it up a notch!

Both our Calcium Plus for adults and Calcium Bears for kids are:

Vegan
Gluten-free
Sugar-free
and Non-GMO

The best part about our calcium supplement, however, is that it’s a gummy. Yes, no more forcing oversized pills down your throat! Just the sweetness of a strawberry banana flavor and the chewiness of delicious calcium gummies.

…and of course, both our Calcium Plus and Calcium Bears contain vegan vitamin D3 because we like to get things right.

So, if you’re looking for a great vegan calcium supplement for you or your kids, check out our delicious calcium gummies and start looking forward to taking your calcium supplement every single day.

FDA Disclosure:

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

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