Nonmilk Sources of Calcium

Overview

Dairy products like milk, yogurt, and cheese provide a lot of calcium. But there are other foods that have calcium. These foods include kale, broccoli, and Chinese cabbage. You can also get calcium by eating the soft bones of canned sardines and canned salmon. And calcium is sometimes added to tofu, soy and rice drinks, fruit juice, and cereal.

Some greens, such as spinach and Swiss chard, are not good sources. They have a lot of calcium, but very little of it is available to the body. These foods contain binders that prevent the calcium from being absorbed.

Some people who avoid dairy foods take supplements to be sure they get enough calcium and vitamin D.

Non-dairy foods with calcium

The following are some foods that can provide calcium for people who don't include dairy in their diets.^{footnote 1}