Have you ever thought about how someone eating a plant-based diet gets their calcium? From the time I was a little girl, I was told I had to eat and drink dairy products to fulfill the calcium requirement. But, is that really true?

When I first started eating a plant-based diet, I did a ton of research on how I was going to fulfill my calcium and vitamin requirements without eating animal products.  What I found was quite interesting–actually, eye-opening. The quick answer is NO, you don’t have to eat dairy products to get calcium. What’s interesting is the fact dairy foods might not be the best way to meet those needs.

What is calcium and why is it important?

Calcium is a mineral that helps keep your bones and teeth strong. It is an essential nutrient that also plays an important role in heart health, blood clotting, good functioning nerves, and helps your muscles to work well.  Your body stores most (about 99%) of your calcium in your bones and teeth and the rest of it is found in soft tissue and blood.[1] While bones feel really hard, they are actually living tissue that is constantly being regenerated.  New bone is being formed as the old bone breaks down. This happens when the body continually removes some calcium from your bones and then replaces it with new calcium.  It’s important to get enough calcium for the replacement to happen or our bones will become weak.

Where does it come from and how does it get into our food?

Calcium, as well as all other minerals come from the ground. It’s found in the soils on earth. Plants absorb the calcium through their roots. Cows and other animals get calcium from eating plants (grass is full of calcium). Then the calcium is passed on to humans when they eat products made from cow’s milk.  But, is that the best way for humans to get it?

Do I have to eat dairy products to get my calcium?

Nope! What if we get rid of the middlemen (cows) and just go straight to the plants for our calcium needs?!😃 If plants are full of calcium and other minerals, then it makes sense to eat lots of plants to fulfill your mineral needs. In fact, there are negatives to ingesting dairy products to get calcium.  Dr. John McDougall says this about drinking cow’s milk to get your calcium, “The most serious mistake a person can make is to believe cow’s milk is a “good” and necessary source of calcium. Heart disease, cancer, type-2 diabetes, arthritis, and infectious disease are only a few of the common consequences of drinking milk from other animal species.”[2]

Getting all the calcium you need from plants

Our bodies are so amazing! They actually regulate just exactly how much calcium we need day in and day out. More is not always better. If we take in too much calcium, we end-up peeing it out because our intestines can’t absorb it all. Our efficient bodies actually do better with less calcium. They learn to conserve and take in just the exact amount we need. By getting our calcium from plants, we don’t risk getting too much. Just make sure to eat a diet full of calcium rich plant foods to assure you’re getting enough.

CLICK to download your FREE “45 Plant-Based Sources of Calcium” chart 

What about Osteoporosis?

There are so many people who suffer with this horrible condition and many more developing it every day. While getting the proper amount of calcium is important, that’s only part of the story. There are other factors that play into one getting osteoporosis; genetics, dietary choices (animal protein tends to leach calcium from your bones)[3], too much caffeine, too much sodium, too much alcohol, smoking tobacco and not enough exercise or sunshine.[4]

Osteoporosis was particularly worrisome to me, as my mom suffered greatly from it. So, I wanted to be sure I was being very smart about getting enough calcium and minerals and doing the right things while eating a whole food plant-based diet.

The best news is that Osteoporosis is reversible by eating a low-sodium, plant-based diet, cutting back on caffeine and getting some exercise every day!

Should one take calcium supplements?

Research shows calcium supplements do little to decrease the risk of osteoporosis.  However, they can cause a host of other problems such as kidney stones, tummy problems, constipation, and increased risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke.

With the exception of Vitamin B12 – I don’t take any supplements. My bloodwork after 10 years of eating a plant-based diet shows my calcium levels as just fine!  I do think it’s really important to get your blood work done on a regular basis so you can be sure you are getting all the nutrients you need. Always check-in with your doctor!  My docs are fully aware of my plant-based diet choices and support them.

NORMAL CALCIUM LEVELS = 8.5-10.4 mg/dl

My latest blood work results (to bore you with)😉>>>> Calcium Level 9.2 mg/dL

The Takeaway

You don’t need to consume dairy products or take supplements to get enough calcium. Just eat a wide variety of delicious, low-sodium whole plant foods and you will get plenty of calcium.

“45 Plant-Based Sources of Calcium”

Click the image to download your FREE CHART

[1] UC Davis Integrative Medicine

[2] https://www.drmcdougall.com/health/education/health-science/hot-topics/nutrition-topics/calcium-dairy-products/

[3] https://www.drmcdougall.com/health/education/health-science/common-health-problems/osteoporosis/

[4] https://www.pcrm.org/good-nutrition/nutrition-information/health-concerns-about-dairy/preventing-and-reversing-osteoporosis

Thank you for sharing! 💚