Milk is one of the most common sources of calcium. But it is not necessary that you only count on it for your daily intake. There are some other easily available non-dairy foods that can also help you meet your daily requirements.

Highlighting that “calcium is very important”, nutritionist Pooja Makhija said that the prescribed daily intake of calcium is 1,000 mg per day for most adults.

“Though women over 50 and everyone over 70 should get 1,200 mg per day, while children aged 4–18 are advised to consume 1,300 mg,” she mentioned.

However, some people are unable to meet their daily requirements through dairy products like milk, or are simply, lactose intolerant.

So, what can you do?

You can count on non-dairy sources of calcium. “Plenty of foods are rich in calcium, and many do not contain dairy,” she mentioned.

As per Makhija,

*20g of poppy seeds is as good as a glass of milk. Use it as a drink or a dessert, like halwa or a porridge.
*30g of chia seeds is good enough as a glass of milk
*Sesame seeds = two heaped tablespoons give you the same amount of calcium as a glass of milk.
*Kidney bean 100g raw = 140mg calcium
*Almonds 100g = 260mg calcium
*Eight figs = 241mg calcium
*Tofu 100g = 680mg calcium

Others include broccoli, sweet potato, sunflower seeds, ladyfingers, oranges, rocket leaves. “A bowl full is a good enough measure,” said Makhija.

However, as with any other food composition, it is important to follow a well-balanced diet, she remarked.

“Follow a balanced colourful plate daily and you can meet most of your important mineral needs easily,” she said.