I am concerned that I am not getting enough calcium in my diet. What foods are high in calcium?
Calcium is a very important mineral necessary for the health of our bones, muscle contraction, nerve transmission, and a variety of other body processes. We store calcium in our bones and in our teeth, and our body must maintain a constant concentration of calcium in the blood. Calcium is one of the most abundant minerals in our bodies. Did you know that the body will pull calcium from our bones if needed, and so it is necessary to get an adequate amount in our diets?
Calcium can be found in a variety of foods out there. We tend to think that milk is the only place we can get calcium, but there are other options to ensure that we have enough to maintain a healthy body!
Try adding some of these foods to your daily diet to increase your calcium intake:
- Fortified Orange Juice
- Broccoli
- Navy beans
- Black beans
- Black-eyed peas
- Beet greens
- Collards
- Canned salmon
- Turnip greens
- Almonds
- Brazil nuts
- Sesame seeds
- Seaweeds (kelp, dulse, wakame-use these in soups and salads)
Enjoy a diet that has a lot of variety and you will be able to increase your calcium intake. Try incorporating beans in your diet (for recipes check out our website), and make sure you are eating those leafy green vegetables!
Try some of these recipes that incorporated sources of calcium!
Calcium Sources
| Food | Serving Size | Calcium (mg) |
| Milk | 1 cup | 200 mg |
| Boiled broccoli | 1 cup | 178 mg |
| Navy beans | 1 cup | 128 mg |
| Black-eyed peas | 1 cup | 105 mg |
| Beet greens | 1/2 cup | 118 mg |
| Collards | 1 cup | 148 mg |
| Yogurt | 3/4 cup | 290 mg |
| Tofu | 150 g | 240 mg |
| Tahini | 2 tbsp | 130 mg |
| Canned salmon (with bones) | 75 g | 208 mg |
| Blackstrap molasses | 1 tbsp | 179 mg |
| Fig, dried | 10 ea | 269 mg |
| Temphe | 100 g | 111 mg |
| Almonds | 1 cup | 332 mg |
| Brazil nuts | 1 cup | 260 mg |
| Sesame seeds | 1 cup | 1404 mg |
| Parsley | 1 cup | 122 mg |
| Turnip greens | 1 cup | 105 mg |
