Eating foods that are rich in calcium is a great way to consumer calcium naturally. In addition to the calcium you need, you'll also get many other vitamins and minerals that speed calcium absorption. While calcium supplements are useful, food sources typically provide the body with the right amounts and proportions of each vitamin and mineral if you eat a rich, varied, a whole-food based diet.
A Variety of Calcium-Rich Foods
Maybe you've seen television commercials with celebrities sporting milk mustaches or you've read health reports claiming vegetables are a better source of calcium than dairy products.
Dairy Products
Some doctors caution that dairy products are also high in fat, so choose dairy products wisely. Nonfat dairy products are a great choice.
- Milk - 1 cup - 300 milligrams
- Cheese - 1 ounce - 240 milligrams
- Cottage Cheese - 1/4 cup - 120 milligrams
- Yogurt - 6 ounces - 350 milligrams
- Ice Cream - 1/2 cup - 85 milligrams
Plant-Based Sources
Although many people associate calcium with dairy, the truth is that calcium is found in plant-based foods too.
- Instant Oats - 1 packet - 165 milligrams
- Kale - 1 cup boiled - 94 milligrams
- Kelp - 1 cup raw - 136 milligrams
- Oranges - 1 medium - 52 milligrams
- Papaya - 1 medium - 73 milligrams
- Sesame Seeds - 1/4 cup - 351 milligrams
- Spinach - 1 cup boiled - 245 milligrams
- Swiss Chard - 1 cup boiled - 102 milligrams
- Broccoli - 2 cups boiled - 124 milligrams
- Celery - 2 cups raw - 81 milligrams
- Collard Greens - 1 cup boiled - 266 milligrams
- Blackstrap Molasses - 1 tablespoon - approximately 137 milligrams
- Almonds - 1 ounces (about 23 nuts) - 75 milligrams
- Brazil Nuts - 2 ounces (about 12 nuts) - 90 milligrams
- Flax Seeds - 2 tablespoons - 52 milligrams
- Sesame Seeds - 1/4 cup - 351 milligrams
- Tahini (sesame seed butter) - 2 tablespoons raw - 126 milligrams
- Rice Milk - 1 cup - 300 milligrams
- Green Beans - 1 cup cooked - 48 milligrams
- Butternut Squash - 1 cup cooked - 84 milligrams
- Sweet Potato - 1 cup cooked - 70 milligrams
- Dried Figs - 10 medium - 269 milligrams
Beans
Beans are another great source of calcium.
- White Beans - 3/4 cup - 120 milligrams
- Navy Beans - 3/4 cup - 94 milligrams
- Black Turtle Beans - 3/4 cup - 75 milligrams
- Chickpeas - 3/4 cup - 58 milligrams
- Tofu 150 grams - 350 milligrams
- Soy Milk - 1 cup - 300 milligrams
Fish
Plant and dairy sources aren't the only options for a calcium-rich diet. You can also add calcium by consuming more fish.
- Salmon - 3 ounces - 180 milligrams
- Oysters (canned) - 1/2 cup - 60 milligrams
- Shrimp - 1/2 cup - 40 milligrams
- Sardines - 8 medium - 370 milligrams
An Easy Calcium-Rich Meal
Ready to get more calcium in your diet from food sources? Using this list of calcium-rich foods, you can make a meal that provides plenty of calcium. Simmer kale with a bit of spices or sauté in olive oil with a bit of garlic. Make brown rice and small red beans. Finish your meal off with a sensible half cup of ice cream or frozen yogurt, and you've just eaten a satisfying, delicious, calcium-rich meal. While supplements are useful, calcium may be found in many wonderful food sources.
