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    You are at:Home»Health Info»Dairy-Free Calcium Guide: Your Complete Resource for Bone Health»The Dairy-Free Calcium Chart for Over 150 Different Foods

    The Dairy-Free Calcium Chart for Over 150 Different Foods

    5
    By Alisa Fleming on September 29, 2021 Dairy-Free Calcium Guide: Your Complete Resource for Bone Health

    Calcium is abundant in many foods, not just milk. The dairy-free calcium chart below outlines the non-dairy calcium found in roughly 150 foods! This is the updated version from the 2nd edition of my flagship book, Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook. I’ve added several calcium-rich foods that have become more readily available since the first edition, and have also modified the serving sizes, and corresponding calcium levels, for several of the foods to better reflect reasonable consumption in one sitting or throughout the day.

    The Dairy-Free Calcium Chart for Over 150 Different Foods - wth vegan and non-vegan options. All happen to be gluten-free, naturally.

    The Dairy-Free Calcium Chart for Over 150 Different Foods

    As it so happens, all of the foods listed here are gluten-free, and most are vegan (I’ve broken out a chart for non-vegan with eggs and seafood). Some foods might seem to have a small amount of calcium, but the milligrams quickly add up as you enjoy meals and snacks throughout the day.

    SOY FOODSServing SizeCalcium (mg)
    Edamame1/2 cup cooked49
    Natto1 cup380
    Soybeans1 cup cooked175
    Soybeans1 cup roasted237
    Soy Flour, defatted1 cup253
    Soymilk1 cup61
    Soymilk, Calcium-Fortified1 cup340*
    Tempeh1 cup184*
    Tofu, Firm, set w/ calcium1/2 cup253*
    Tofu, Raw, Firm, set w/ calcium1/2 cup861

     

    NUTS & SEEDSServing SizeCalcium (mg)
    Almonds1/4 cup96
    Almond Butter1 tablespoon56
    Brazil Nuts1/4 cup53
    Chia Seeds1 ounce (2 tablespoons)179
    Hazelnuts1/4 cup32
    Pistachios1/4 cup32
    Sesame Seeds, Hulled 1/4 cup toasted42
    Tahini1 tablespoon64

     

    VEGETABLESServing SizeCalcium (mg)
    Acorn Squash1 cup cooked90
    Amaranth Leaves1 cup raw60
    Artichoke, Globe1 medium56
    Arugula1 cup raw32
    Asparagus1 cup cooked36
    Bok Choy1 cup cooked158
    Borage1 cup raw83
    Broccoli1 cup raw43
    Broccoli Raab1 cup raw43
    Brussels Sprouts1 cup raw37
    Burdock Root1 cup raw48
    Butternut Squash1 cup cooked84
    Cabbage, Chinese (Pak Choi)1 cup raw (shredded)74
    Cabbage, Green 1 cup raw36
    Cabbage, Red1 cup raw40
    Carrots1 carrot20
    Cassava, raw1 cup raw33
    Cauliflower1 cup raw24
    Celeraic1 cup raw67
    Celery1 cup raw (chopped)44
    Chicory Greens1 cup raw29
    Chinese Broccoli1 cup cooked88
    Collard Greens1 cup raw84
    Daikon1 (7-inch) radish103
    Dandelion Greens1 cup raw103
    Fennel1 cup sliced43
    French Beans / Haricot Verts1 cup cooked111
    Garlic1 tablespoon raw15
    Grape Leaves1 cup raw51
    Green Beans1 cup cooked58
    Hearts of Palm1 cup canned85
    Kale1 cup raw101
    Kohlrabi1 cup raw32
    Lambsquarters1/2 cup boiled232
    Leeks1 leek53
    Moringa, Powder1 teaspoon35
    Mustard Greens1 cup raw64
    Nopales (Cactus)1 cup raw (sliced)141
    Okra1 cup raw82
    Onion, spring1 onion11
    Parsley1 cup raw83
    Parsnips1 parsnip59
    Peas, edible pod1 cup cooked62
    Pumpkin, canned1 cup64
    Radishes, raw, sliced1 cup raw29
    Rutabaga1 cup raw60
    Seaweed, Agar1/2 ounce dried87
    Seaweed, Arame1/2 cup dried100**
    Seaweed, Kelp1 cup raw137
    Seaweed, Kelp Noodles4 ounces150**
    Seaweed, Kombu1/2 ounce dried93
    Seaweed, Wakame1/2 cup dried80**
    Sweet Potato1 cup cooked (cubed)76
    Tomatoes 1/2 cup canned40
    Turnips1 cup raw (cubed)39
    Turnip Greens1 cup raw104
    Watercress1 cup raw41
    Zucchini1 medium31

     

    GRAINSServing SizeCalcium (mg)
    Amaranth, cooked1 cup116
    Amaranth Flour1/4 cup40
    Carob Flour1 tablespoon21
    Corn Tortillas2100*
    Oats1 cup84
    Potato Flour1/4 cup26
    Quinoa, cooked1 cup31
    Teff1 cup cooked123

     

    FRUIT & JUICEServing SizeCalcium (mg)
    Apricots 1/4 cup dried30
    Blackberries 1 cup raw42
    Coconut Water1 cup58
    Currants1/4 cup dried31
    Dates, Medjool2 pitted20
    Figs1 cup dried241
    Goji Berries1/4 cup41
    Mulberries1 cup raw55
    Orange1 medium56
    Orange Juice, calcium-fortified1 cup300*
    Papaya1 medium72
    Prunes1 cup dried95
    Raisins, Golden (2/3 cup)2/3 cup52

     

    BEANSServing SizeCalcium (mg)
    Baked Beans1 cup canned126*
    Black-Eyed Peas (Cowpeas)1/2 cup cooked105
    Black Turtle Beans1 cup cooked102
    Great Northern Beans1 cup canned139
    Lima Beans1/2 cup canned35
    Mung Beans1 cup cooked55
    Navy Beans1 cup canned123
    Pinto Beans1 cup canned108
    Refried Beans1 cup cooked88*
    Snap Beans1/2 cup cooked32
    White Beans1 cup canned191
    Winged Beans1 cup cooked244
    Yellow Beans1 cup cooked110

     

    HERBS & SPICESServing SizeCalcium (mg)
    Allspice1 teaspoon ground13
    Anise Seeds1 teaspoon14
    Basil1 teaspoon dried16
    Caraway Seeds1 teaspoon14
    Celery Seeds1 teaspoon35
    Cinnamon1 teaspoon ground26
    Cloves1 teaspoon ground13
    Coriander Seeds1 teaspoon13
    Cumin Seeds1 teaspoon20
    Dill Seeds1 teaspoon32
    Dill Weed1 teaspoon dried18
    Fennel Seeds1 teaspoon24
    Marjoram1 teaspoon dried12
    Mustard Seeds1 teaspoon19
    Oregano1 teaspoon dried16
    Poppy Seeds1 teaspoon40
    Rosemary1 teaspoon dried15
    Savory1 teaspoon ground30
    Thyme1 teaspoon dried19

     

    SWEETENERSServing SizeCalcium (mg)
    Maple Syrup1 tablespoon21
    Molasses, Blackstrap1 tablespoon172*
    Molasses, Light1 tablespoon33
    Molasses, Medium     1 tablespoon58

     

    NON-VEGANServing SizeCalcium (mg)
    Anchovies, Boneless 3 ounces canned198
    Blue Crab3 ounces canned86
    Clams3 ounces cooked78
    Cuttlefish3 ounces cooked153
    Egg Yolk1 large22
    Herring, Atlantic1 cooked fillet106
    Herring, Pacific1 cooked fillet153
    Mackerel, Boneless Jack3 ounces canned204
    Ocean Perch Atlantic            3 ounces cooked116
    Octopus3 ounces cooked90
    Oyster, dried 3 medium45
    Pike, Walleye1 cooked fillet175
    Rainbow Trout, Wild1 cooked fillet123
    Salmon, Chum with Bones3 ounces canned212
    Salmon, Pink with Bones3 ounces canned241
    Salmon, Sockeye with Bones3 ounces canned203
    Sardines3 ounces canned317
    Shrimp, Fresh3 ounces77
    Shrimp, Small Dried 1 ounce167

    *Calcium content may vary by brand. For example, I have seen levels as high as 150 mg of calcium per corn tortilla and as low as 20 mg per tortilla.

    **I had difficulty locating adequate numbers for these from the USDA, so brand packaging was used to ascertain.

    A Few Notes on These Calcium Charts:

    • This data was extracted from the United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 28.
    • Most fruits, vegetables, seeds, and nuts contain some amount of calcium, but the above selections are limited to class leaders in each category.
    • Spinach, rhubarb, beet greens, and Swiss chard are all very high in calcium. However, due to their very low absorption rates (approximately 5%), they have been excluded from the list. See the information below on oxalates.
    • With the exception of mung beans, the dried beans do have a fairly low absorption rate (approximately 17%), so only those with over 100mg of calcium have been included.
    • These numbers are intended for use as general information only. Actual calcium levels may vary.
    • For comparison, 1 cup of 2% cow milk has 297 mg of calcium.

    It’s in the Water

    Depending on where you live, you may be getting quite a bit of calcium via your tap water. England, the prairies of Canada, some parts of Australia, and most of the United States (with the exceptions of New England, the South Atlantic-Gulf, the Pacific Northwest, and Hawaii) have tap water that is quite high in minerals such as calcium, otherwise known as “hard water.”

    The average amount of calcium in tap water ranges from 1 to 135 milligrams per liter, with some cities hitting as much as 220 milligrams per liter. If you drink your 8 glasses a day in an area that has 135 milligrams per liter, that’s about 255 milligrams of extra calcium in your diet. It’s important to know if you are already obtaining quite a bit of calcium from your drinking and cooking water, since high calcium intake isn’t recommended.

    What about Oxalates?

    You may have wondered why health superstars like rhubarb and Swiss chard have such low calcium absorption rates. It’s due to their higher oxalate content, which scientists believe reduces the bioavailability of calcium in certain plant foods. In beans, phytates are thought to be the calcium-reducing culprit. However, one notable exception is soybeans. Soy products are naturally high in both oxalates and phytates, yet they appear to have relatively high calcium bioavailability.

    Though oxalates and phytates can reduce the available calcium in a food, they typically leave some behind for our use. They do not go out of their way to leech calcium from our bodies. Consequently, high oxalate foods can be healthy additions to your diet, and won’t derail your calcium efforts. But aside from soy, they probably won’t contribute much to your personal calcium requirements.

    Keep in mind, no food has pure bioavailability of calcium. For reference, milk has a roughly 30% absorption rate for calcium. So of the 297 mg of calcium in a glass of milk, your body will be able to utilized about 100 mg. Calcium RDA numbers are set based on total calcium intake, not estimated calcium absorption. So if your personal RDA is 1000 mg per day, it’s based on the calcium you consume, not the amount absorbed, which is assumed to be closer to 300 mg.

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    Alisa Fleming
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    Alisa is the founder of GoDairyFree.org, Food Editor for Allergic Living magazine, and author of the best-selling dairy-free book, Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook for Milk Allergies, Lactose Intolerance, and Casein-Free Living, and the new cookbook, Eat Dairy Free: Your Essential Cookbook for Everyday Meals, Snacks, and Sweets. Alisa is also a professional recipe creator and product ambassador for the natural food industry.

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    5 Comments

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    4. Jamie @ Milk Allergy Mom on February 11, 2015 11:09 am

      What about raw veggies? Like broccoli? 🙂 I like veggies raw over cooked.

      Reply
    5. Pingback: X Tips I Wish I'd Known When I Was New to a Milk Allergy | Allergy Cookie

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