When asked for a source of calcium, milk is almost always the first thing that comes to mind. More often than not, dairy products such as milk, yogurt and cheese are the only Calcium sources recognized by many. What most people are unaware of is that some vegetables are also rich sources of calcium and that even grains contain small amounts of it. Since grains are consumed frequently, they are still able to contribute a good amount of calcium to the diet. Moreover, plenty of foods such as fruit juices, tofu, cereals, and even biscuits are now fortified with calcium.
Some non-dairy food sources of calcium people have been consuming oblivious to its calcium content are:
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Sardines, canned in oil, with bones (324 mg Ca / 3 oz)
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Orange juice, calcium-fortified (200-260 mg Ca / 6 oz)
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Firm tofu made with calcium sulfate (204 mg Ca / half cup)
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Pink salmon, canned, solids with bone (181 mg Ca / 3 oz)
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Soft tofu made with calcium sulfate (138 mg Ca / half cup)
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Spinach, cooked (120 mg Ca /half cup)
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Turnip greens, boiled (99 mg Ca / half cup)
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Chinese cabbage, raw (74 mg Ca / one cup)
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White bread (31 mg Ca/ ounce)
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Broccoli, raw (21 mg Ca / half cup)
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Whole wheat bread ( 20 mg Ca / slice)
The recommended dietary allowance of Calcium for those aged 19-50 years old is 1000mg. This means that even if one is lactose intolerant and has to refrain from consuming dairy products, choosing a combination of food servings above would enable him to meet the daily RDA for Calcium.
Wow I never knew that some of these foods had calcium too, I always thought it was just dairy only. Some really good information here thanks.
Hmmm..
Yummi,, I want it..
Huh…ya learn something new everyday!
Thank you for the update to Calcium and its benefits!! Such a helpful review.
I never knew it was in spinach!
Sesame seeds and Chia seeds also have calcium. They are easy to mix in with other foods, sprinkle on salads, add to smoothies, etc.