A glass of milk isn't the only way to get your calcium. In this Health Smarts video, Vonda Wright, MD, has a nutrition tip: Turn to Asian cuisine. Stir-fry staples like broccoli, bok choy, and edamame are tasty sources of calcium.
Read Transcript
Hi, I'm Dr. Wright with a calcium boosting tip for you. If you're lactose intolerant, or just don't like dairy you can still get calcium from food. Plants actually have plenty of calcium, but you have to know what to look for. For an easy way to remember what foods are rich in calcium, think Asian food.
Stir-fried dishes often include broccoli, boc choy, and edamame. Brocolli gives you 62 mg of calcium per cup, and bok choy serves up a whooping 158 mg of calcium per cup. These Chinese stir-fry favorites also have a chemical make up that helps your body absorb calcium. Plenty of leafy green vegetables like spinach and swiss chard also have calcium, but they also contain oxolate, an acid that limits how much calcium your body can absorb.
It's recommended you get 1,500 milligrams of calcium a day so you still may want a supplement, but first, try to get as much as you can from nutritious vegies and other foods. For more ways to nourish your health, watch all our smart tips, right here.
Vonda Wright, MD, a Sharecare Advisory Board member and orthopaedic surgeon, is an expert in active aging. She specializes is the creator and director of the Performance and Research Initiative for Masters Athletes.
