12 foods with more calcium than a glass of milk

Milk is an excellent source of calcium (300 mg in a cup) to keep your bones healthy, but it’s not the only way to meet your calcium needs. Calcium-rich vegetables, proteins, and dairy products offer choices beyond cow’s milk, whether you eat meat (an omnivore), avoid red meat, or follow a plant-based diet.

1. Yogurt

Calcium: 488 milligrams (mg)
Serving size: 1 cup

A cup of plain fat-free yogurt contains much more calcium than a cup of cow’s milk. Low-fat yogurt isn’t far behind, at 448 mg per cup. Be aware that Greek yogurt contains less calcium; non-fat foods contain 250 mg and low-fat foods contain 260 mg per cup.

Yogurt also contains higher amounts of other important minerals and nutrients than a comparable serving of milk, including:

• Zinc
• Potassium
• Magnesium
• Protein
• Probiotics

2. Soy

Calcium: 504 mg
Serving size: 1 cup

Raw green soybeans have a high calcium content. This is about half the RDA for most adults and much more than a cup of cow’s milk.

However, soybeans are often boiled before eating, which increases their volume. As a result, it takes about 1 1/4 cups of cooked green soybeans to equal the calcium in 1 cup of milk. They are also high in protein and high in fiber.

3. Firm tofu

Calcium: 506 mg
Serving size: 1 cup

The amount of calcium in tofu, made from soybeans, varies depending on the brand and how it was prepared, so read labels carefully. Tofu can be an excellent source of calcium. If calcium sulfate is used to firm soy milk into tofu, it can contain up to 506 mg per cup.

4. Green cabbage

Calcium: 324 mg
Serving size: 1 cup

Leafy green vegetables can be good sources of calcium, and collard greens are a particularly good choice. One cup of cooked cabbage contains 324 mg of calcium.

These cruciferous vegetables (from the same family as kale and broccoli) also contain nearly 600 percent of the daily adequate amount of vitamin K per cup, as well as significant amounts of vitamins B6 and C, iron and magnesium.

5. Bok Choy

Calcium: 158 mg
Serving size: 1 cup

One cup of cooked, shredded bok choy contains about half the calcium found in one cup of milk (158 mg). But the body absorbs calcium from bok choy much better than that from milk, one cup of each equivalent for the amount of calcium absorbed.

The opposite is true with spinach. While cooked spinach contains 245 mg of calcium per cup, it also contains oxalates, which bind to calcium and reduce its absorption.

6. Dried figs

Calcium: 241 mg
Serving size: 1.25 cups

One cup of dried figs contains about 241 mg of calcium, more than many fruits. It takes 10 ounces (1.25 cups) to equal the calcium in a glass of milk.

Dried fruits can, however, be high in calories. One cup of dried figs contains approximately 413 calories and 71 grams of sugar. If you add about 2 ounces of dried figs to a salad, appetizer, or meal, you’ll still get 60 mg of calcium, which can help increase your total daily calcium intake.

7. Ricotta Cheese

Calcium: 669 mg
Serving size: 1 cup

Part-skim milk ricotta cheese provides 669 mg of calcium per cup or 337 mg for half a cup, or 171 calories. Whole milk ricotta cheese contains 578 mg of calcium, almost twice as much as a cup of milk. Half a cup, with 289 mg, is almost the same as a cup of milk and contains 204 calories.

8. Canned Sardines

Calcium: 351mg
Serving Size: 3.75 ounces

Canned sardines contain 351 mg of calcium per 3.75 oz serving per can. The same can of sardines also contains 22.6 grams of protein and is rich in healthy omega-3 fatty acids.

Sardines that contain tiny edible bones tend to be higher in calcium. Read labels to see how much calcium a given brand of canned sardines contains. This can vary depending on the processing and the liquid the sardine is in, which can be water, oil or tomato sauce.

9. Canned Salmon

Calcium: 168 mg
Serving Size: 3 ounces

A 3-ounce can of sockeye salmon contains about 168 mg of calcium. You’ll need two cans to provide more calcium than a cup of milk. The calcium level is increased in canned salmon (like in sardines) because of the small, soft bones that remain during processing. They are completely edible and are unlikely to be visible.

In comparison, a 3.5-ounce serving of fresh sockeye salmon contains only 15 mg of calcium. Farmed Atlantic salmon contains even less calcium, at 9 mg per 3.50 ounce serving. When choosing salmon, consider the high sodium content, often found in canned fish, as well as calcium levels.

10. Enriched vegetable milk

Calcium: 422 mg
Serving size: 1 cup

Calcium may be added to plant-based milks during processing. If they have not been fortified, the amount of calcium will likely be lower and homemade plant-based milks will likely be even lower in calcium than manufactured milks.

Brands vary, so it’s important to check labels. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) FoodData Central recorded these values ​​for certain fortified plant-based milks:

• Almond milk: 422 mg of calcium per cup, more than 100 mg more than a cup of cow’s milk.
• Oat milk: 338 mg of calcium per cup, a little more than cow’s milk.
• Soy milk: Nearly 400 mg of calcium per cup, depending on the brand.

11. Fortified orange juice

Calcium: 350 mg
Serving size: 1 cup

Fortified juice contains calcium and other nutrients added during processing. A cup of fortified orange juice contains about 350 mg of calcium, more than a third of the RDA.

Fresh, unfortified orange juice contains much less calcium than fortified juice. A cup of fresh juice contains about 27 mg of calcium.

12. Chia seeds

Calcium: 595 mg
Serving size: 100 grams

Chia seeds are full of calcium: 100 grams, or about 0.67 cups, contain 595 mg, almost twice as much as a cup of cow’s milk. You’re unlikely to eat that many chia seeds in one sitting, but if you sprinkle 1 ounce (one-eighth cup) of them on other foods or include that amount in a recipe, you’ll get almost 150 mg of calcium.

Other nutrients in 100 grams of chia seeds include 32 grams of fat, 17 grams of protein, and 517 calories.