Calcium Companions: 5 Calcium-Rich Food For A Bone-Healthy Diet

Our bones are perhaps the strongest supporters in our body (literally). We had more bones as babies but over time they've fused together to form and shape our larger and adult skeletal frame.

Calcium, aside from Vitamin D, is an essential mineral stored in bones that helps individuals to walk, jump, dance, and even stand upright. They are notoriously found in dairy products, especially in milk. Vitamin D helps by absorbing the calcium into the bones. A deficiency of both can lead to brittle supporters that are prone to fractures and other illnesses.

When searching for alternatives in the fridge or market, here are other calcium-rich products you can add to your diet:

Almond butter

Out of the various tree nuts in the market, almonds have the highest amount of calcium per serving. The same calcium benefits can come in butter form; almond butter has no cholesterol, is lower in fat, and higher in protein than peanut butter. This makes it a good alternative for recipes that heavily rely on butter as an ingredient.

Broccoli

Amidst the nondairy sources of calcium available, broccoli is second to dark, leafy greens. Beyond being bone-healthy, it's an excellent source of vitamin C, fiber, and nutrients that possess cancer-fighting properties.

Cheese

By manner of relationships, cheese is processed from milk, and milk is full of calcium. Hence, the curdled delicacy is another mighty option for milk during your fridge raids. Mozzarella is a particularly better option among cheese types as it is high in calcium. Cheese made from skim milk can be a healthier alternative as well.

Eggs

Breakfast lovers can't go wrong with eggs. They have a decent amount of vitamin D and can improve bone health. Vitamin D is exclusively found in the egg yolks, so you can keep that in mind for meals that tend to separate them during preparation. As a breakfast companion, orange juice is fortified with both vitamin D and calcium.

Salmon

Fatty fish such as salmon is another great way to get vitamin D besides sun-bathing. One 3-ounce serving of salmon will provide you with 447 international units (IU) of vitamin D, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The recommended minimum intake of vitamin D is 400 IU daily. Canned salmon provides the softer (edible) bones of the fish as well, making it loaded with calcium.

Yogurt

Thanks to yogurt's preparation process, this dietary snack actually contains significantly more calcium than the milk from which it's made. One 8-ounce serving of low-fat yogurt provides a full 42 percent of your daily calcium needs, according to the NIH.

Even as our bones had shrunk in number when we grew older, our body still needs calcium, vitamin D, and essential nutrients to keep them dense and strong. For a supplemental alternative to calcium-rich food, KPTown offers a bottle of Umeken L-CAL, which is enriched with Calcium, Magnesium, Vitamin D3, and other minerals essential for bone reinforcement. The product is now available at 25% off!