Did You Know There Are Other Good Sources Of Calcium Besides Milk?

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I’ve always heard growing up that milk and milk products are the best sources of calcium. Your mother also probably told you the same. But, since I was lactose intolerant from birth, milk and most dairy products have been a no for me. So as I grew older I began to explore other sources of calcium and I found out that milk is not the only good source of calcium out there.

What is Lactose intolerance?

Lactose intolerance is a condition where the body does not produce enough of the enzyme lactase to break down lactose, a type of sugar found in milk. Usually, our bodies make lactase as we grow up and continue to make it as adults. But some people don’t make enough lactase. This can cause a problem because lactose is found in all dairy products. Symptoms of lactose intolerance include stomach pain, cramping, diarrhea and bloating.

As we dig into this article, we will explore some other foods that contain high levels of calcium and see if milk is still the best one!

Milk and Dairy products

Dairy products are a great source of calcium, but they can also increase blood pressure, weight gain, and prostate cancer risk. There are many other good sources of calcium, including certain types of dark green leafy vegetables like kale or spinach, almonds, oranges, broccoli, beans, soymilk and tofu.

Dairy products are a great source of calcium, but they can also increase blood pressure, weight gain, and prostate cancer risk. Also, the milk we get is partially adulterated and is largely produced by artificially injecting the cows. The milk thus carries remnants of those chemicals and is hazardous for health in the long run. And for vegans and lactose intolerant, this option is totally out. ⁣

So, you don’t need to consume dairy in order to get your daily intake of calcium. fact, you can get plenty of calcium from other sources, including plants and animals.

Green vegetables

There are many other good sources of calcium, and certain types of dark green leaf vegetables have a lot of calcium. Broccoli has about 100mg per serving, while spinach has over 300 mg in a half cup of the vegetable.

Other good sources include kale, Brussels sprouts, Swiss chard, turnip greens, rhubarb and collard greens. You can get about 452mg of calcium from 1 cup of cooked kale.

Soybeans are a good source of calcium, with about 28 mg per serving. They contain over 80% of the daily recommended amount of calcium undefined
Salmon contains good levels of calcium and also omega-3 fatty acids. Consuming salmon is good for the heart, joints, bones and brain. On the other hand, it is also difficult to get a good source of protein from milk.

Nuts and seeds

Milk is not the only source of calcium. You can get calcium from many other sources, including nuts and seeds. For example, 1 cup of almonds contains about 270mg of calcium while an ounce of chia seeds has 272mg. As well as calcium, nuts and seeds also contain protein, fiber, and healthy fats which are all beneficial to your health.

Calcium builds strong bones. Some people believe that consuming dairy is the best way to build a strong body, but these simple nuts and seeds like chia or sesame are a great source of calcium. A handful of almonds or a small serving of pumpkin seeds will provide around 90mg. The best part is that they also have many other health benefits as well! They’re a great way to boost your daily intakes of certain nutrients, such as healthy fats and omega-3 fatty acids. These are essential for heart and brain health support.

150 ml of milk = 190 mg of calcium⁣
The same amount of calcium is present in ⁣
✅ 2 tbsp Sesame seeds ⁣
✅ 3 tbsp Chia seeds ⁣

Food options for people who are lactose intolerant

In addition to milk, there are other options available for people who are lactose intolerant or have a dairy allergy. These include calcium-fortified soymilk, calcium-fortified orange juice, tofu processed with calcium sulfate, and broccoli. There are many different food sources of calcium, but it will largely depend on your diet preferences. Some options include beans, broccoli, sardines, tofu, turnip greens, figs, spinach and okra.

Calcium is an essential mineral that keeps bones strong. According to the USDA, it is estimated that more than 65% of adults and children do not get enough calcium in their diets. That’s why it is recommended to take a supplement for those who can’t drink milk or other dairy products. But people who are lactose intolerant don’t have to miss out on this important nutrient. There are plenty of food sources out there that contain calcium such as yogurt, kale, beans, and oranges. It just takes a little extra planning to make sure you’re getting all the nutrients your body needs.

Conclusion

Consuming enough calcium is important for a healthy body as it helps to prevent osteoporosis. It’s possible to get calcium from other food sources besides milk, so now you have no excuse not to stay healthy!

If you’re looking for more food and nutrition tips from Infano, check out our other blogs here.

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To be a sick fat woman in this world is a curse I wouldn’t wish on my enemy too. Why do I say this? Well, as if being a woman wasn’t enough already, being chronically ill with an invisible disease is the worst thing you can ask for. Because you look healthy on the outside without any visible scars or bruises, so convincing someone, at times even doctors, about your symptoms is an uphill task. Women are seldom taken seriously for their aches and pains as it is. Add to all this a fat body and voila- that suddenly becomes the reason for all your problems. As if thin people never fall sick?

I was recently diagnosed with my pain as being obese. And what did it turn or to be? A viral infection. Yes. Well, being diagnosed as fat for my symptoms is not new. I have been a victim of medical fatphobia for years. It took me years to get a diagnosis and a treatment plan for my fibromyalgia from doctors. What can you expect anyway from a disease that cannot be seen or detected through various medical tests? Conclusion- must be her weight. Also, after childbirth, women do experience backaches and joint pains, right? Wrong!

Being fat is a condition. It is not a disease. There are practically zero diseases that affect only and only overweight people, though risk factors may be higher for them. But there is no disease that affects only fat people. However, the most annoying thing here is when the doctors immediately jump to a conclusion seeing the body size as the root cause of everything before asking or taking into account the lifestyle, medical conditions, and history of the patient. So basic, right? Oh, how many times has this been overlooked? Health and weight are two different things. A fat person can be healthy and a thin person can be sick and vice versa.

Fat people already know that they are fat

Not everyone is overweight because of a sedentary lifestyle or overeating. Chances are that medical conditions like PCOD, insulin resistance, thyroid, pregnancy, and even side effects of certain medicines can lead to weight gain. While many find it easy to shed weight for many others it is not an easy thing and they may have spent years trying to lose weight through diets and exercises without much result. But the whole point is, when you go to a doctor for a problem, they have to treat you, provide relief and find the cause of your complaint regardless of your size.

“I was wrongly diagnosed by several doctors for years until in 2019 we found that I had grade 3 spondylolisthesis. Medical Fatphobia is one of the biggest problems in the world where doctors assume that everything wrong in a fat patient’s body is because of their weight. I couldn’t even get up from my bed for about 2 months in 2014 but yet not a single doctor asked me to get an MRI and just blamed the situation on a pinched nerve because of my weight. Had the issue been diagnosed properly back then itself I probably wouldn’t be suffering as much now.”

It wasn’t until last year when she met a few top spine surgeons of the country who thankfully did not focus on her weight. “In fact, one doctor in Mumbai told me that any other person with the grade 3 spondylolisthesis would have been on a stretcher by now but because I am a dancer, my core muscles are quite strong and are able to hold my body and spine. Doctors cannot generalize and treat someone on the basis of weight alone”, says Tanvi Ravishankar, a model & social media influencer who goes by the name The Chubby Twirler.

Doctors cannot dismiss a patient in excruciating pain saying “Your pain is because of obesity, lose 10 kgs and you will be fine”. This is exactly what was told to me. The red rashes on my legs were dismissed as varicose veins when they were due to some virus. And if you thought that how can doctors be like this, well here are a few more instances to tell you how deep-rooted medical fatphobia is.

Fatphobia has no place in medical industry

Your size shouldn’t decide the care you deserve. Everybody has an equal right to a fair diagnosis and healthcare and medical professionals need to drop this bias and stop pushing obesity as the cause for everything. Of course, not all doctors fat-shame or are fatphobic. It is for some truly wonderful doctors that I can say am living a good quality of life despite my many medical problems. But fear of being judged for your size should not be the reason anyone should have to refrain from seeking medical care for themselves or go around doctor shopping just to find someone who will treat them for beyond their size.

Also Read | This Big, Bold & Beautiful Influencer Is Smashing Body Stereotypes