Eggnog
Indulge in your favorite holiday beverage this year with the peace of mind that you’re making your bones stronger. One cup contains 250 to 300 mg of calcium.
Try it: Use a tablespoon or two in coffee instead of creamer.
Seeds
Sprinkling seeds on any dish delivers that much-needed crunch, but don’t let their wee size fool you—many seeds are loaded with essential nutrients, including calcium. Just 1 ounce (or 2 tablespoons) of toasted sesame seeds, for example, packs a whopping 280 mg of calcium. The same amount of chia seeds will get you 179 mg.
While nuts, seeds, whole grains, soy isolates, and beans do contain phytic acid, which also binds to calcium, its ability to mess with absorption widely varies or doesn’t have a noticeable effect. For this reason, the NIH still counts these foods toward your calcium intake—just make sure to eat a wide variety of them if you’re dairy-free.
Try it: Sprinkle seeds on top of your salad, oatmeal, or smoothie bowl for added texture.