Got milk? If not, get something else. Dairy foods provide about 300 mg calcium per 1 cup serving. If lactose intolerance, allergies or personal preference steer you away from dairy foods, choose a substitute such as calcium-fortified soy milk, oat milk or rice milk.
We absorb calcium from some foods better than from others. For example, while spinach may be high in calcium, the human body does not readily assimilate it. Milk is generally the standard for comparison of calcium absorption in foods. This chart includes foods in which calcium is absorbed as well or better than calcium from milk.
— G.V.
Food
Serving Size
Calcium per Serving
Chinese cabbage
1/2 cup
239 mg
Bok choy
1/2 cup
80 mg
Kale
1/2 cup
61 mg
Turnip greens
1/2 cup
99 mg
Mustard greens
1/2 cup
212 mg
Tofu (calcium-set)
1/2 cup
258 mg
Cheddar cheese
1.5 oz
303 mg
Broccoli
1 cup
70 mg
Yogurt
1 cup
300 mg
Soy milk*
1 cup
300 mg
Fruit juice*
1 cup
300 mg
Milk (low-fat)
1 cup
300 mg
*calcium-fortified
Source: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 1999, vol. 70
