Slideshow: 15 Delicious Calcium-Rich Dishes
Slideshow: 15 Delicious Calcium-Rich Dishes
Arugula salad
When it comes to leafy greens, watercress is an excellent food: rich in vitamins and calcium that builds bones. Add some grated Parmesan cheese and chopped almonds to get 125 milligrams of calcium in a delicious little salad.
- Arugula (1 cup): 32 milligrams calcium
- Almonds (12 tablets): 30 milligrams calcium
- Parmesan cheese (tablespoon): 63 milligrams calcium
Grilled sardines with aioli
Sardines may be small, but they are a big fish when it comes to calcium. The meal can help you reach the 1,000 milligrams per day that most adults need. Try fresh sardines - which are tossed on the grill for delicious smoky entrees. Sprinkle garlic aioli to get the same amount of calcium as you get in 8 ounces of yogurt.
- Sardines (3 ounces): 325 milligrams calcium
- Aioli sauce (2 tablespoons): 21 milligrams calcium
Flatbread pizza
As an appetizer or meal, flatbread pizza can be filled with the appropriate toppings with calcium - even before adding the cheese! Start with crunchy, canned salmon and plenty of watercress for a pie that contains more calcium than a large cup of milk.
- Salmon (3 ounces): 90 milligrams calcium
- Arugula (1 cup): 32 milligrams calcium
- Bread crust: 113 milligrams calcium
Figs stuffed with Manchego cheese
Fill sweet and chewy fresh figs with interesting cheeses to make an appetizer full of flavor. Spanish Manchego is a refreshing choice made with sheep's milk and loaded with calcium. Two manchego-stuffed figs provide 245 milligrams of calcium - with only 150 calories.
- Manchego (1 ounce): 200 milligrams calcium
- Fig (2): 45 milligrams calcium
Stuffed Grape Leaves
Stuffed grape leaves are Greek dishes. It is usually made with rice, aromatic herbs and spices, ground beef, and grape vine leaves. Green olive leaves contain some calcium, and dipping them in skimmed Greek yogurt will boost the overall. Six leaves stuffed with a quarter cup of yogurt sauce add up to 147 milligrams of calcium - about 15% of what most adults need per day.
Stuffed Endive
Crunchy dandelion leaves are the right form of finger food. Combine low-fat cheese and smoked salmon, then scoop the mixture into a dandelion leaf. A few small bites of these before dinner and you'll get around 75 milligrams of calcium. Main sources:
- Cream cheese (2 tablespoons): 44 milligrams calcium
- Smoked salmon (6 ounces): 18 milligrams calcium
Dandelion greens
Dandelion can infest pruned grass, but cooks love the greens for the peppery flavor. The leaves are also full of nutrients and contain more calcium than you would get from spinach. Wilted or fried dandelions make a delicious side dish. Oil, garlic, and other spices help balance the bite of the pepper.
- Dandelion green (1 cup): 147 milligrams calcium
Broccolini
This green vegetable tastes a little sweeter than older brother broccoli. It has small florets and long, thin stems that do not need to be peeled. Roast or fry the spears for an intense flavor. Or, steam them for a while, making sure not to lose the bright green. Fast cooking helps retain the vitamins.
- Broccolini (1 cup): 55 milligrams calcium
Baby Bok Choi
With green leaves and white stems, little bok choy looks like regular bok choy in miniature. But this type of Chinese cabbage is milder and more gentle. Try cooking and serving whole heads rather than chopping vegetables. Works great for stir frying or as a side dish.
- Baby Bok Choy (1 cup): 158 milligrams calcium
Salmon croquette with dill sauce
Salmon croquettes are a delicious way to get more calcium. Canned salmon provides 10-20 times more calcium than fillets. Whisk together the creamy dill sauce with skimmed Greek yogurt for 425 milligrams of calcium in two cookies. Main sources:
- Canned salmon (6 ounces): 366 milligrams calcium
- Greek yogurt (2 tablespoons): 59 milligrams calcium
Stuffed sesame chicken
Want to increase calcium in your daily chicken dinner? Stuff the chicken breast with a mixture of creamy ricotta cheese and spinach. Cover with sesame seeds, season and bake. One serving contains 251 milligrams of calcium - about a quarter of what you need daily.
Stuffed manicotti
Filling pasta shells is a simple way to add flavor and calcium to your pasta dish. Use skim ricotta cheese to cut down on some calories in this easy classic game. Cover the skin with spicy tomato sauce or garlic dip and bake for a quick dinner. Two stuffed peelings contain more calcium than a cup of milk.
- Partially skimmed ricotta (1/2 cup): 335 milligrams calcium
- Tomato sauce (12 cup): 16 milligrams calcium
Spaghetti with komatsuna vegetables
Japanese green mustard, called komatsuna, is rich in calcium. For a colorful pasta dish, toss in peppercorns with the spaghetti - make it with whole wheat noodles for extra fiber. Add the refreshing sun-dried cherry tomatoes and sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on top. A full meal contains about 500 calories.
- Komatsuna (1 cup): 104 milligrams calcium
- Parmesan cheese (1/4 cup): 220 milligrams calcium
Almond cake
This dessert is made with finely ground almonds instead of wheat flour. Their pleasant taste balances the sugar and peel of the citrus fruits, and the nuts provide a little calcium as well. Add low-fat cream cheese and lemon juice to get around 110 mg of calcium in one serving.
Chocolate mousse
This super-creamy dessert is a sweet way to help meet your calcium needs.
The chocolate, milk, and eggs in the recipe each contain small amounts that add up to 100 milligrams of calcium per half cup. If you crave chocolate mousse - but not a full load of calories, fat, and cholesterol - try the low-fat versions that you can find on many markets.