Since childhood, we have been asked time and again by our elders to drink milk to suffice the calcium requirement of the body and make bones stronger.
There is no doubt in the fact that milk is a healthy dairy item and provides a number of nutrients to the body. But is it the best source of calcium available out there? The answer is no.
Milk definitely provides calcium to the body but you will be surprised to know that there are many food items that provide even more calcium than a simple glass of milk.
A regular glass of milk of 250 ml gives about 300 mg of calcium, which is 25% of your daily calcium requirement.
Your body needs anywhere between 1000-1200 mg of calcium every day. Read on to know foods that offer more calcium than a glass of milk.
1. Tofu
Just 200 grams of tofu offers 700 mg of calcium. Tofu is very similar to paneer and can easily replace cottage cheese in your recipes. You can stir veggies with tofu or make plain tofu salad with it.
2. Almonds
You can have almonds raw or in the soaked form. 1 cup of almonds will give you more than 300 mg of calcium. They can even be consumed in the form of almond milk, almond butter or added to desserts.
3. Yoghurt
1 cup of plain yoghurt will offer anywhere between 300-350 mg of calcium. Yoghurt can be consumed daily in breakfast, lunch or even dinner. Yoghurt garnished with chopped fresh fruits and nuts is both, a healthy breakfast and a delicious snack.
4. Sesame Seeds
You can get 350 mg of calcium with just 4 tablespoons of sesame seeds. Garnish your salads with sesame seeds or use them in food preparations.
5. Chickpeas
2 cups of chickpeas offer a whopping 420 mg of calcium. Chickpeas can be used to make the simple curry masala, mixed with veggies to make a stir-fried vegetables, used in salads, mashed to form cutlets and even mixed with sesame seeds to prepare hummus dip.
6. Chia Seeds
4 tablespoons of chia seeds adds up to roughly 350 mg of calcium. The easiest way to consume chia seeds is by mixing them in a glass of water, letting them soak for an hour and then drinking this chia seeds water. Soaked chia seeds can also be added to smoothies, shakes and puddings.
7. Finger millet
Finger millet is one of the richest sources of calcium. Just 100 grams contains around 345 mg of calcium. Make sure you consume finger millet in some form at least 4 times a week.
