If you have bone loss you’ll probably look for sources of calcium through your daily diet, since getting calcium this way has fewer side effects.   We’re often reminded to include dairy as a source of calcium, but what if you can’t eat dairy products?   You’ll have to find alternate foods to supply this important nutrient.   We know that green leafy vegetables have calcium, but you may not be eating enough of this type of food to meet the recommended daily intake.   Nuts and seeds are another food item that has calcium that you could include into your diet.   Below are some examples of these nuts and seeds.

Nuts and Seeds	Serving Size	Calcium Content
Almonds	1 oz. (23 whole nuts)	75 mg
Brazil Nuts	1 oz. (6 whole nuts)	45 mg
Hazel Nuts	1 oz. (21 whole nuts)	32 mg
Macadamia	1 oz. (10-12 nuts)	24 mg
Sesame Seeds	1 tablespoon	88 mg
Walnuts	1 oz. (14 halves)	28 mg
Sunflower Seeds	1 oz.	20 mg

Almonds are loaded with vitamins, minerals and fiber.   Vitamin E, L-carnitine, and riboflavin make these nuts brain-healthy. They are available in sliced, flaked, slivered, almond flour, oil, butter or milk.

Brazil nuts are rich in vitamin E and mono-unsaturated fats.   Mono-unsaturated fats and vitamin E help to prevent coronary artery disease and they also lower LDL cholesterol levels.

Hazel nuts are rich in manganese and copper.   Manganese is needed for healthy bone formation and copper aids in iron absorption.

Macadamia nuts are also a good source of fiber, have antioxidants properties and provide you with iron, magnesium, manganese and zinc.

Sesame seeds are rich in copper, calcium and manganese and are also a good source of dietary fiber.

Walnuts are rich with omega 3 fatty acids, calcium and are good for your heart because they lower cholesterol levels.

Sunflower seeds contain vitamin E, B-complex and they also have antioxidant properties.

The next time you are looking for calcium-rich foods to include in your diet, why not try some nuts and seeds that are high in calcium.   They also contain other important nutrients needed for healthy bones, heart and cholesterol.

Sources

Nuts, Grains and Seeds Chart, Dr. Decuypere, Retrieved 4-14-14 http://www.health-alternatives.com/nut-seed-nutrition-chart.html

SelfNutritionData, Retrieved 4-14-14 http://nutritiondata.self.com/