Maintaining Bone Health on a Plant-Based Diet
By Niamh Sosa, BHOF Intern
I decided to start eating a plant-based diet when I was fourteen. I read that research shows that meat and dairy products are contributing to our planet’s climate crisis, while plant-based diets, including fruits, vegetables, grains, and beans can help protect the planet. It’s important that people who eat a vegetarian diet also get enough calcium to build and maintain strong bones. There are a lot of options when it comes to getting enough calcium for people who don’t consume dairy products, one of the most common sources of calcium.
Calcium from plant sources may even be better for you than calcium from milk or other animal products. You just have to be sure to eat enough fruits, vegetables and other non-dairy foods that contain the calcium your body needs. The amount of calcium your body needs depends on your gender and age. Women 50 years and younger and men 70 years and younger need about 1,000 mg of calcium daily. And women 51 and older and men 71 and older need approximately 1,200 mg of calcium every day.
A few examples of fruits and vegetables that contain calcium include:
Kale, this leafy green vegetable has more calcium per serving than a glass of milk.
Broccoli is a healthy vegetable that many people like. 100 milligrams of raw broccoli contain 46 milligrams of calcium and the same amount of cooked broccoli contains 40 milligrams of calcium.
Oranges are the most calcium-rich fruit. One medium orange provides approximately 55 milligrams of calcium. And you can also buy orange juice fortified with calcium and vitamin D at the grocery store.
Eating seeds provide calcium too. Two tablespoons of chai seeds contain 14% of the recommended daily allowance of calcium. Pumpkin seeds and poppy seeds also contain small amounts of calcium.
You can get 27 milligrams of calcium from just two dried figs.
People of all ages need to pay attention to how much calcium and vitamin D they are getting. And while a balanced diet rich in calcium and vitamin D is essential for bone health, don’t forget to do weight-bearing and muscle-strengthening exercises too!