The following nonmilk foods can provide calcium for people who don't include milk in their diets.1
Food, serving size |
Milligrams of calcium |
|---|---|
Whole almonds, 1 oz (about 23 whole almonds) |
70 |
Sesame seeds, 1 tablespoon |
10 |
Food, serving size |
Milligrams of calcium |
|---|---|
Turnip greens, 1 cup cooked from raw |
197 |
Broccoli, 1 cup cooked from raw |
177 |
Mustard greens, 1 cup cooked from raw |
104 |
Kale, 1 cup cooked from raw |
94 |
Bok choy (Chinese cabbage), 1 cup cooked from raw |
158 |
Food, serving size |
Milligrams of calcium |
|---|---|
Tofu (with added calcium), 1/2 cup (4 oz) |
434 |
Canned salmon with bones, 3 oz |
150 |
Blackstrap molasses, 2 Tbsp (1 fl oz) |
344 |
Calcium-fortified orange juice, 1 cup (8 fl oz) |
300 |
Calcium-fortified soy milk, 1 cup (8 fl oz) |
368 |
Notice that some greens, notably spinach and Swiss chard, are not included in this list. Even though these foods have a lot of calcium, very little calcium from these foods is available to the body because the foods contain binders that prevent the calcium from being absorbed.
Very few nondairy foods contain as much calcium as milk and milk products. For example, 1 cup (8 oz) of milk provides about 300 milligrams (mg) of calcium. The recommended daily calcium intake for adults is 1000 mg, so you would have to regularly eat large amounts of some of these foods to meet your calcium needs. Also, some of the foods, like the nuts and seeds, are quite high in calories and are not practical to eat in the amounts given, at least not on a daily basis. For this reason, some people who avoid dairy take calcium supplements.
If you are concerned about your diet and calcium intake, talk to a registered dietitian.
Credits
| Author | Debby Golonka, MPH |
| Editor | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA |
| Associate Editor | Pat Truman, MATC |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Ruth Schneider, MPH, RD - Diet and Nutrition |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | Rhonda O'Brien, MS, RD, CDE - Diabetes Educator |
| Last Updated | February 6, 2009 |