I recently have started buying non-animal milk, and am considering not switching back. I thought I'd try it, as I'm trying to adapt more of a vegan lifestyle at least foodwise so far. I'm a stickler for making sure I get enough calcium, and I felt comforted by knowing that one cup of cow's milk offered me approximately 30% of the calcium I needed for that day. Now I don't know if all of that was absorbed by my body, I really hoped it would be. But I felt secure knowing that I'm probably getting enough calcium by drinking 3-4 cups of milk a day.

I know plant foods have calcium... but I don't know how much, and this is why I've tried to get my calcium from milk. But soy/rice/almond milk is expensive, plus enriched (not naturally occuring)... so I'm at a bypass. I'm not sure I can afford that much milk a week - but I do want to get enough calcium, if there is one thing I am zealous about it is that.

How do you know you're getting enough aside from milk, yogurt, and cheese? Can anyone recommend me any trustworthy articles, books, or information I can find that will explain calcium in a vegan diet to me?

Thanks a million!

The calcium question is a good one. For now, I'm staying with some dairy products such as my nonfat plain yogurt which I eat almost every day. I did look up vegan calcium needs and I found this website. It seems to have some good info:
http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/calcium.htm


Also, if you think soy milk is expensive then either you live somewhere where regular milk is super cheap or soy milk prices are elevated. The soy milk I buy (from Trader Joes) is about the same price as regular milk and even seems a little cheaper. You might want to shop around for soy milk.

I take a calcium supplement to be on the safe side. The one I take aslo contains magnesium and Vitamin D.

Thanks for the table - very helpful!

Thanks Nelie, this is great. Where I live I can buy 4L of cow's milk for about $4.39, compared with the 1.89L of soy milk for $3.69. And that's the cheapest soy milk I've been able to find (rice and almond are about 1L for $2.29). I shop at a cheaper store so the prices go up at the more expensive ones. I will keep looking though, you never know I might find something

Ive read that broccoli has more calcium than milk. I lost my fat flush book so I can't double check it, but I'm pretty sure that's the food that is listed for that. Check real foods and see what else you discover.

Have you thought about making you own. It would be much cheaper.

Rice milk recipe:

Blend 1 cup of cooked whole grain (brown) rice with 4 cups of water in an electric blender. Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla for flavor (optional). Filter through strainer to remove coarse rice husks

i eat alot of brocoli for calcium and soy milk. the soy milk and rice milk i buy is about 2.36 a carton at super walmart. but i saw it at a regular grocery store for 4.00. that is a bit much for us as we go through it like crazy (have a one yr old lol) so its pretty cheap for me. and chemical free. but there is a ton of food that has calcium. just google it.

I agree with you. Have you thought about getting it from your cereal? I have dry "Total" cereal a few times a week and just one serving has 100% calcium for the day! Plus alot of other vitamins and minerals.

Jasmine... I don't think I've ever heard of that cereal, I'll have to look around, thanks! Is it sold in regular grocery stores? I don't live in the States but it's possible I might find it around anyways

Total!

Yes I buy it at my normal grocery store. It is not hard to find. I hope you can find it because it is a great cereal! It has 100% daily value of 12 vitamins and minerals! If this loads up the 5 boxes, click the box in the middle.

Thank you!

Check out the CalciYum Cookbook, if you can find it. It's completely vegan!