Nonmilk Sources of Calcium
Topic Overview
Milk, yogurt, and cheese provide a lot of calcium. But there are other foods that have calcium, such as kale, broccoli, and Chinese cabbage. You can also get calcium by eating the soft bones of canned sardines and canned salmon. And calcium is sometimes added to tofu, soy and rice drinks, fruit juice, and cereal.
The following nonmilk foods can provide calcium for people who don't
include milk in their diets.1
Seeds and nuts Food, serving size | Milligrams of calcium |
|---|
Almonds, 1 oz (about 24 nuts) | 75 |
Sunflower seeds, 1/4 cup | 22 |
Vegetables and greens Food, serving size | Milligrams of calcium |
|---|
Broccoli, cooked, 1 cup | 62 |
Kale, cooked, 1 cup | 94 |
Chinese cabbage, cooked, 1 cup | 158 |
Miscellaneous foods Food, serving size | Milligrams of calcium |
|---|
Tofu (with added calcium), 1/4 block | 163 |
Canned salmon with bones, 3 oz | 181 |
Calcium-fortified orange juice, 1 cup (8 fl
oz) | 500 |
Calcium-fortified soy milk, 1 cup (8 fl
oz) | 282 |
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.
Some people who avoid dairy foods take supplements to be sure they are getting enough calcium and vitamin D.
If
you are concerned about your diet and calcium intake, talk to a registered
dietitian.
References
Citations
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (2010). Nutrient data laboratory. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 23. Available online: http://www.ars.usda.gov/ba/bhnrc/ndl.
Credits
| By | Healthwise Staff |
|---|
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Sarah Marshall, MD - Family Medicine |
|---|
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | Rhonda O'Brien, MS, RD, CDE - Certified Diabetes Educator |
|---|
| Last Revised | February 4, 2011 |
|---|
Last Revised:
February 4, 2011
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (2010). Nutrient data laboratory. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 23. Available online: http://www.ars.usda.gov/ba/bhnrc/ndl.
