When we eliminate something out of our lives, be it a habit, a person or a friend, we sometimes substitute what’s missing with something unhealthy. We may pick up another bad habit, a toxic friend or a harmful food. This happens with the vegetarian and the vegan when they are trying to ensure getting enough protein and calcium. To get protein and calcium, vegetarians tend to eat too many eggs for protein and too much cheese for calcium, both causing high cholesterol. And vegans, who don’t consume any meat products or byproducts, tend to lack protein and calcium and have problems with weak bones and teeth. Over the last two weeks, I shared posts giving you vegetarian sources of iodine and protein. Today I give you vegetarian sources for calcium, which mostly come from leafy green vegetables. Some of the best foods include the following:

• Collard greens
• Cabbage
• Turnip greens
• Beet greens
• Kale
• Spinach
• Broccoli (Flowers, stems and leaves; they actually come with a lot of greens if you pick them at a broccoli patch.)
• Snow peas
• Beans

Consuming calcium does your body no good if the calcium can’t get to your bones. Make sure to get other essential nutrients, such as magnesium, to help with this process.