Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Getting Your Calcium Without Consuming Diary Products

Approximately 99% of the calcium currently in your body is stored in your teeth and bones. Calcium is also important for many other bodily functions, such as muscle contraction and exocytosis. Calcium is also essential for nerve conduction, the regulation of enzyme activity and the formation of cell membranes.

There are a number of Calcium options for those who do not consume dairy products. They include:

* Calcium fortified juices, cereals, breads, rice milk, or almond milk.
* Canned fish (sardines, salmon with bones) soybeans and other soy products (tofu made with calcium sulfate, soy yogurt, tempeh), some other beans, and some leafy greens (collard and turnip greens, kale, bok choy).

The amount of calcium that can be absorbed from these foods does vary.