Good Sources of Calcium

Of course, milk and other dairy products are good sources of calcium, and most contain added vitamin
D, which is also important for bone health.
But don't overlook other healthy calcium-fortified foods, including orange juice, soy products, and
bread. Here are some dairy and nondairy products that provide quite a bit of this vital nutrient:
Serving Size
Food or
Beverage
Calcium
8 ounces (237
milliliters)
milk 300 milligrams
8 ounces (237
milliliters)
calcium-fortified
orange juice
300 milligrams
2 ounces (57
grams)
American cheese 300 milligrams
1 ounces (43
grams)
cheddar cheese 300 milligrams
4 ounces (113
grams)
tofu fortified with
calcium
260 milligrams
6 ounces (177
milliliters)
yogurt 225 milligrams
cup (118
milliliters)
collard greens
(cooked from
frozen)
178 milligrams
4 ounces (113
grams)
ice cream, soft
serve
120 milligrams
cup (118
milliliters)
white beans 110 milligrams
1 ounce (28
grams)
almonds 80 milligrams
cup (118 bok choy 80 milligrams
milliliters)
cup (118
milliliters)
rhubarb, cooked 75 milligrams
4 ounces (113
grams)
cottage cheese 70 milligrams
cup (118
milliliters)
red beans 40 milligrams
cup (118
milliliters)
broccoli, cooked 35 milligrams
Food Serving Size Calcium
Collard greens 1 cup, boiled 357 mg
Fortified soymilk 1 cup 368 mg
Black-eyed peas 1 cup, boiled 211 mg
Firm tofu (made with calcium sulfate) 1/2 cup 204 mg
Calcium-fortified orange juice 6 oz 200 mg
Blackstrap molasses 1 Tbsp 172 mg
Baked beans 1 cup, canned 154 mg
Kale 1 cup, cooked 94 mg
Chinese cabbage 1 cup, raw 74 mg
Oranges 1 cup 72 mg
Almonds 1 oz 70 mg



Non-Dairy Calcium: Dairy-Free Calcium Chart
Posted on May 4, 2006 by Alisa Fleming in Calcium with 1 Comment
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Updated version of this information also available in Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook for Milk Allergies,
Lactose Intolerance, and Casein-Free Living
* Calcium Content Shown in Milligrams *
SOY FOODS FRUIT & JUICE
Serving Size: 1 Cup Serving Size: (unless noted) 1 Medium
Soy Beans, cooked 261 Blackberries (1 cup) 46
Soy Flour, defatted 241 Figs, dried (10 medium) 269
Soymilk 93 Kiwi 46
Soymilk, calcium-fortified 368 Orange 56
Tempeh 184 Orange juice, calcium-fortified 300
Tofu, Firm, set with calcium 516 Papaya, raw 72
Tofu, Medium Firm, set with
calcium
260 Raisins, Golden (2/3 cup) 53
GRAINS SEAFOOD
Serving Size: 1 Cup Serving Size: (unless noted) 3 Ounces
Amaranth Flour 300 Blue Crab, canned 86
Carob Flour 359 Clams, canned 78
Amaranth, cooked 276 Ocean Perch Atlantic, cooked 116
Quinoa, cooked 100 Oyster, dried (3 medium) 45
Rainbow Trout, cooked 73

BEANS Sardines, canned, drained 317
Serving Size:
1 Cup,
Cooked
Shrimp, small dried (1 ounce) 167
Baked Beans 128

Black Turtle Beans 103 SALAD GREENS
Great Northern Beans 121 Serving Size: 1 Cup
Mung Beans 56 Borage, raw 83
Navy Beans 128 Chicory Greens, raw 180
Refried Beans 88 Collard Greens, boiled 226
White Beans 161 Dandelion Greens, raw 103
Winged Beans 244 Kale, boiled 94
Yellow Beans 110 Lambsquarters, boiled 464
Lettuce, Looseleaf, raw 38

OTHER VEGETABLES Mustard Greens, boiled 104
Serving Size: (unless noted)
1 Cup,
Cooked
Mustard Greens, frozen 152
Acorn Squash 90 Mustard Greens, raw 58
Artichoke (1 medium) 54 Parsley, raw 78
Asparagus 36 Turnip Greens, boiled 198
Bok Choy 158 Turnip Greens, raw 105
Broccoli 72 Watercress, raw 40
Brussel Sprouts 56

Burdock Root 61 NUTS & SEEDS
Butternut Squash 84 Serving Size: (unless noted) 1 Ounce
Cabbage, Green 50 Almonds, roasted 80
Cabbage, Red 56 Brazil Nuts 45
Carrots 48
Sesame Seeds, whole,
roasted
280
Cassava, raw 33
Almond Butter (1
Tablespoon)
43
Cauliflower 34
Almond Butter (1
Tablespoon)
64
Celery, raw 44

Chinese Broccoli 88 SPICES
French Beans / Haricot Verts 111 Serving Size:
1
Tablespoon
Green Beans 58 Ground Basil 85
Kelp, raw 144 Cinnamon 74
Kohlrabi 40 Cloves 39
Okra 100 Dill Seed 91
Peas, edible pod 62 Mustard Seeds 58
Pumpkin, canned 64 Oregano 48
Radishes, raw, sliced 29 Rosemary 38
Rutabaga, cubed 82 Thyme 76
Seaweed, Agar, dried (1
Tablespoon)
50

Seaweed, Hijiki, dried (1
Tablespoon)
80 MOLASSES
Squash, Summer 49 Serving Size:
1
Tablespoon
Sweet Potato, cubed 76 Molasses, Blackstrap 172
Turnips, cubed 51 Molasses, Light 33
Molasses, Medium 58

A Few Notes on Our Calcium Chart:
Most fruits, vegatables, seeds, and nuts contain some amount of calcium, but we have limited our selections to
the class leaders.
Spinach, Rhubarb, Beet Greens, and Swiss Chard are all very high in calcium. However, due to their very low
absorption rates (approximately 5%), we have excluded them from our list.
With the exception of Mung Beans, the dried Beans do have a fairly low absorption rate (approximately 17%), so
we have limited our selections to those with over 100mg of calcium.
For comparison, 1 cup of 2% cows milk has 297 mg of calcium.

Here are some foods rich in calcium and how to include them in your familys diet:
Kelp
Dulse
Kale, collard greens, and other greens (Kale chips are a great option)
Almonds and other nuts
Sunflower seeds (for nut-free schools)
Dried figs
Broccoli
Rutabaga
Olives
Quinoa and amaranth
Homemade chicken broth or beef broth (from pastured animals)
Canned fish with bones such as sardines or salmon (smash bones and eat with fish)
Fortified non-dairy milk
Kelp and dulse you can buy in granulated form and sprinkle it on food, or buy it in strips
and add a piece while cooking broth, soups, or grains. Dulse imparts a bit of a smoky
flavor. Greens are one of my favorite ways to boost the nutrition content of a meal, as
greens are not only high in calcium, but also high in folate, iron, vitamin K, magnesium,
and more. Greens can be chopped finely or pureed and added to burgers or meatballs,
stews and soups, broth, pasta sauce, any sauted vegetable dish, and smoothies. Kale
chips are also a wonderful, kid-friendly way to eat greens.
Nuts and seeds eaten whole or as a nut butter are good ways to get these calcium rich
foodsspread sunflower seed butter on celery and add raisins or currants for Ants on a
log. Turkish figs are sugary delights and great for snackingadd the paste to desserts.
Broccoli is a kids favorite. Rutabagas are also high in calcium. Never cooked
rutabagas? They are a good addition to stews or try boiling them and adding them to a
sweet potato mash. Bone broths are also a wonderful source of calcium and can be added
to stews as well, or can be cooked down to a more concentrated form and added to
meatballs and burgers.
While many people dont give sardines a chance, you may be surprised to find that your
child likes them. The bones are the part thats rich in calcium, so be sure to get the
canned variety with bones. They are soft and can be eaten easily (the are nothing like
bones in cooked or raw fish). I loved sardines when I was only five years oldyou never
know. Also, canned salmon can be made into tuna salad and the bones are easily
smashed by a fork and unnoticeable (trust me!).
You can also get calcium from supplementation. Calcium citrate powder is a common
form that can be added to pancakes.
As you follow a special diet, be sure to include calcium rich foods. Its an important
nutrient, especially with dairy-free diets and is easier than you think. How do you ensure
your kids get enough calcium?