Build stronger bones with these five easy tweaks to boost your daily calcium intake.
Think your healthy salad for lunch is ticking all the nutrition boxes? What about bone-building calcium? It’s an easy one to forget, but there are plenty of ways to boost your daily intake beyond milk and yoghurt. Give these easy and delicious lunch ideas a try to help maintain strong bones, no matter your age.
Better bones: Aim for at least 1000mg calcium per day.
+ MORE CANNED FISH
Adding canned fish is an easy way to lift your calcium intake. Look for canned salmon or sardines with edible bones, or tuna with added calcium. Canned fish is high in heart-healthy omega-3 fats.
Add: A 105g can of salmon in spring water to salads to get in about a quarter of your daily calcium needs. Make sure it contains edible bones.
+ MORE GREEN VEG
Surprisingly, leafy greens are a great source of calcium, so fill your salad bowl with dark leafy greens like baby spinach, broccoli and kale.
Swap: Lettuce for baby spinach and quadruple your calcium intake! Two cups of iceberg has just 20mg calcium compared with 85mg calcium in the same amount of baby spinach. Choose kale and that jumps to 150mg.
+ MORE CREAMY DRESSINGS
We know what you’re thinking – aren’t they full of sat fat? Think again! Creamy dressings made with calcium-rich yoghurt, buttermilk and tahini are nutritious and delicious!
Swap: Vinaigrette for a nutritious creamy dressing. Whisk plain yoghurt with avocado, chives and lemon juice or whip up a flavoursome dressing with tahini, maple syrup, lemon and garlic.
+ MORE PLANT PROTEINS
Firm tofu has 350mg calcium per 100g – that’s about one-third of your daily needs! Edamame beans and legumes, such as chickpeas, are also good sources.
Add: Half a cup of shelled edamame to salads for delicious taste and texture. You can buy them frozen and shelled to enjoy as a tasty snack or tossed through salads and stir-fries.
+ MORE NUTS AND SEEDS
Not only do they add interesting crunch and flavour to your salad, but nuts and seeds also add a healthy dose of calcium.
Add: A handful (30g) of chopped toasted almonds provide 80mg of bone-boosting calcium, as well as hunger-busting protein and fibre. You could also try a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds or sunflower seeds.
Classic lunch: Grilled chicken and avocado salad with balsamic vinaigrette
Per serve: 1874kJ (448cal), 58.6g protein, 15.9g fat, 2.9g sat fat, 12.8g carbs, 11.6g sugar, 8.2g fibre, 152mg calcium, 2.7mg iron
Upgraded bone-strengthening lunch
This upgraded lunch salad is a winner for bone health. You’ll hit a whopping 735mg of calcium – three-quarters of your daily needs and five times what you’ll find in the chicken salad. Plus, you get more than double the fibre and iron, and a healthy dose of omega-3 fats.
Canned salmon, broccoli and kale salad with toasted almonds, edamame and creamy tahini dressing
105g can pink salmon, 2 cups kale, 1 cup broccoli & cucumber topped with 30g toasted almonds, ½ cup shelled edamame beans and dressing made with 1 tbs tahini, 2 tbs lemon juice & 2 tsp maple syrup.
Per serve: 2915kJ (697cal), 51.3g protein, 37.9g fat, 4.7g sat fat, 29.1g carbs, 19.8g sugar, 22g fibre, 735mg calcium, 8mg iron
For more advice on calcium, we recommend: 3 ways to get more calcium and boost your bone health or Calcium: How much do YOU need?
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