Surprising findings from a new study reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition indicate that women who get most of their calcium from food have higher bone density than women whose calcium comes mainly from tablets – even when the supplement takers have a higher average calcium intake.
The survey of postmenopausal women was conducted by researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine. According to study authors, only about a third of the calcium in supplements is absorbed, whereas dietary calcium may be more bio-available.
Good food sources of calcium include:
dairy products
fortified foods (orange juice, rice or soy milk)
dark green leafy vegetables
legumes (white, navy and pinto beans, chickpeas)
soy foods (tofu, tempeh)
tahini (sesame seed butter)
almonds
canned fish with bones (salmon or sardines).YOUR SAY: How do you ensure you get enough calcium in your diet? Tell us below!