Top 10 Calcium rich NON DAIRY Foods for stronger bones

Is it possible to get enough calcium from non-dairy sources? Yes, absolutely so. In this video, I'm going to share with you 10 amazing non-dairy alternative sources for calcium. So if you're somebody who doesn't prefer dairy or if you're lactose intolerant or if dairy simply doesn't work for your gut then this video is for you. Hi everyone, welcome to Simplify. My name is Nirupama. I'm a PhD in food science and a certified nutrition coach along with making YouTube videos I also offer personal health consultations. In case you want to get in touch with me I'll leave a link to my website in the description box. We need on an average of 1000mg calcium per day. I'm sure you all know that the primary role of calcium in our body is for building and maintaining strong bones and strong teeth. The calcium in our bones and teeth account for 99% of the calcium in our body. Needless to say, calcium is extremely important for a strong musculoskeletal system and to prevent the risk of osteoporosis and fractures as we grow older. Along with maintaining strong bones calcium is also required for efficient muscle contraction in the body. Heart is the most important muscle in our body and calcium is crucial for effective functioning of our heart. Low calcium can lead to irregular heart rhythms or arrhythmias which can lead to palpitations or irregular heartbeat. Calcium along with potassium helps in regulating electrical impulses generated and transmitted by our nerves. If our electrical impulses are left to fire off unchecked it can lead to epilepsy or other problems of the nerves. Therefore, calcium is also very important for regulating our nervous system. Calcium also plays a role in blood clotting. Sufficient calcium intake is also important to relieve PMS or premenstrual symptoms like headaches, cramps, bloating and nausea. There are two reasons why we could be deficient in calcium. 1. Inadequate consumption of calcium rich foods in our diet 2. Inefficient absorption of calcium in our body In this video, I bring to you 10 superb sources of calcium ranked in increasing order of calcium per serving size. On number 10, we have almonds. Almonds are one of the healthiest nuts that have a great profile of fatty acids that are great for our heart, skin and hair. Almonds are also a decent source of calcium. 12-15 almonds will give you about 50mg calcium which is 5% of your daily calcium requirement. On number 9, we have dried figs. Dried figs or dried anjeer are a great source of calcium as well as iron and they are also good for relieving constipation. 2 dried figs will give you about 50mg calcium which is again 5% of your daily calcium requirement. In fact, a snack of 12-15 almonds and 2 dried figs will give you about 10% of your daily calcium requirement and a lot of other nutritional benefits. On number 8, we have okra or bhindi. Did you know that okra or bhindi is a great source of calcium along with having good amount of vitamin A, vitamin C, antioxidants and fiber. You will get 60mg calcium which is about 6% of your daily calcium requirement from just half a cup of cooked okra. On number 7, we have moringa or drumstick leaves. Moringa is considered to be a superfood because of a variety of nutrients present in its leaves, seeds and pods. Be it vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, iron, potassium and it's a long list. But what nobody tells you is that moringa is also very high in anti-nutrients which are chemicals that prevent the absorption of nutrients and can also lead to gastric issues or diarrhoea when consumed in excess. Therefore, moringa leaves or moringa powder should not be consumed in excess. The best way to consume moringa is probably to add 2 handfuls of moringa leaves in your dals or curries. This will boost the calcium content of your dal or curry by 80mg or 8% of your daily calcium requirement. Moringa leaves can also be made into a dry chutney or a podi. 1 tbsp of this moringa dry chutney along with your lunch or dinner will provide you about 90-100mg of calcium. On number 6, we have sesame seeds or til. The tiny looking sesame seeds or til are also a nutrition powerhouse. They provide us with lot of essential fatty acids that are great for our skin and our heart health. Sesame seeds are also an excellent source of calcium and digestive fibre. 1 tbsp of sesame seeds per day will provide you about 90mg of calcium which is 9% of your daily calcium requirement. Sesame seeds can either be used as a sprinkle on your salads or it can be incorporated in the dough that is used for making roti or chapati or it can also be turned into a chutney or a dry podi powder. On number 5, we have rajma or red kidney beans. Generally, all legumes and pulses are a decent source of calcium but red kidney beans or rajma are an exceptionally rich source of calcium. 1 medium bowl of cooked rajma will provide you about 105mg of calcium which is 10% of your daily calcium requirement. On number 4, we have amaranth or rajkira. Amaranth is one of those underrated native whole grains that is a good source of calcium along with being an excellent source of protein as well as fibre as compared to the usual grains wheat and rice. The exceptional antioxidant profile of amaranth helps in lowering inflammation in the body. Amaranth is primarily available in 3 edible forms amaranth seeds, amaranth flour or in the leafy form as a saag. Amaranth flour can be made into a cheela. 1 medium sized cheela made using amaranth flour contains about 130mg calcium which is 13% of your daily calcium requirement. Amaranth grains can be cooked and used as a substitute for rice. 1 cup of cooked amaranth grain will provide you about 130mg of calcium. 1 cup of cooked amaranth saag will provide you about 130mg of calcium. So as you can tell, amaranth is an excellent source of calcium for non-dairy users. On number 3, we have spinach. Spinach is a great source of calcium as well as iron. But the oxalates in spinach make it hard for us to absorb both these nutrients. When we cook our spinach, the oxalates break down which makes it easier for us to absorb the iron and calcium in the spinach. 1 bowl or 1 serving of cooked spinach will provide you approximately 150mg of calcium which is 15% of your daily calcium requirement. On number 2, we have soya tofu. Soya beans are rich in calcium and therefore tofu which is made using soya beans are also a good source of calcium. 1 serving or 100g of tofu will provide you approximately 180mg of calcium which is 18% of your daily calcium requirement. Tofu is also a great source of protein for vegetarians and vegans. On number 1, we have ragi or finger millet. Ragi or finger millet is another one of those superfoods which has a great nutrient profile. It is rich in calcium, iron, zinc, potassium and many antioxidants. Ragi can be consumed in the form of a ragi porridge. 1 medium bowl of ragi porridge will provide you 180mg of calcium which is 18% of your daily calcium requirement. Ragi can also be consumed in the form of ragi roti. 2 small ragi rotis will provide you as much as 220mg of calcium which is 22% of your daily calcium requirement. Ragi can also be consumed in the form of ragi cheela, ragi kheer, ragi mudde or ragi ladoo. It is great to incorporate ragi in your diet at least 1-2 times a week. A quick recap of 10 excellent non-dairy alternatives for calcium. On number 10, we have almonds. Number 9, dried figs. Number 8, okra or bhindi. Number 7, moringa. Number 6, sesame seeds. On number 5, we have rajma or red kidney beans. Number 4, amaranth or rajkira. Number 3, spinach. Number 2, soya tofu. And number 1, ragi or finger millet. Regular inclusion of these 10 foods in your diet will take care of your daily calcium requirement. Let me know in the comments which of these foods are already a part of your diet. That's all from me for today's video. I hope you found this video useful. If you did, do not hesitate to let me know in the comments. I'll see you guys in my next video. Take care until then. Bye.