Alternatives to Dairy

After years of chronic sinus infections I finally went and had my food allergies tested, turns out I am allergic to dairy from a cow. I have learned that this is very common and remains untreated in many people. Once I was alerted to the allergy I went on a Candida Diet for 2 months which left me feeling better than ever.

 

Five years ago I was made aware of my allergy and to this day I continue to remain dairy free (aside from occasional dairy from a goat or sheep). With the government recommendation for adults ages 19-50 being 1000 mg of calcium per day it is important to find suitable alternatives. 

Below is a list of some of some of my favorite calcium enriched foods along with the amount of calcium per serving.

Food Item	Serving Size	Calcium mg
Spinach	1 cup boiled	245 mg
Green Turnips	1 cup boiled w/ salt	197 mg
Dandelion Greens	1 cup	140 mg
Kelp	1 cup raw	136 mg
Soybeans	¼ cup dry	129 mg
Arugula	4 cups	128 mg
Tahini	2 tbsp raw (sesame seed butter)	126 mg
Broccoli	2 cups boiled	124 mg
Macadamia Nuts	1 cup	114 mg
Kale	1 ¼ cup	113 mg
Swiss Chard	1 cup boiled	102 mg
Broccoli Rabe	3 ounces	100 mg
Sardines	2 items	92 mg
Sesame Seeds	1 tbsp	88 mg
Celery	2 cups raw	81 mg
Almonds	1 ounce (23 nuts)	75 mg
Papaya	1 medium	73 mg
Flax Seeds	3 tbsp	54 mg
Oranges	1 medium	52 mg

As you will see from the list provided above, eating a diet rich in dark leafy greens, nuts, seeds, and fruits will give you plenty of calcium and you'll get many other health benefits from these foods as well.

*Note: Even if you are not allergic to dairy and drink one cup of milk per day you are only getting 296 mg which still leaves you needing another 704 mg of calcium per day.