Spice Up Your Calcium Intake

If drinking cow’s milk isn’t for you, and eating cheese makes the scale tip in the wrong direction, you may find yourself struggling to find alternatives for adding calcium to your diet. Sure, calcium supplements are an easy substitute, but they can have side effects. Studies show that adults need about 1,000 mg of calcium each day as part of a healthy diet. So what is a person to do about getting enough calcium?

You might try stocking up on spices. That’s right. Spices. They’re fat-free, mess-free, and loaded with anti-oxidants to give you an extra nutritional boost. And, they’re a lot more tasty than a pill.

Here’s a sampling of some calcium-rich spices:


1 tsp. savory (summer or winter) – 26mg calcium
1 tsp. dried basil -  26mg calcium
1 tsp. dried thyme – 18mg calcium
1 tsp. dill weed – 17mg calcium
1 tsp. marjoram – 10mg calcium
1 tsp. sage – 8mg calcium

Tip: sprinkle dried basil into soups, pasta, or even scrambled eggs.