Dietary calcium comes from a number of foods in the animal and vegetable kingdom. Integral to bodily functions including muscle contraction and enzyme secretion, calcium is the most abundant mineral in your body, according to information provided by the Office of Dietary Supplements. Although the ODS recommends 1,000 mg of calcium per day for adults between the ages of 19 and 50, talk to your health care professional about the correct amount of calcium for you.
Milk
A glass of cow's milk adds a significant amount of calcium to your diet. "The Nutritive Value of Foods," a U.S. Department of Agriculture publication, provides the nutrition information for milk including the amount of calcium in a one-cup serving: non-fat milk with 302 mg of calcium, whole milk with 291 mg of calcium and buttermilk with 285 mg of calcium.
Cheese
Varieties of cheese offer different amounts of calcium. Harvard University Health Services provides a list of one ounce srvings of cheeses and the amount of calcium in each, including Swiss cheese with 272 mg of calcium; Gouda with 200 mg of calcium; American cheese with 150 mg of calcium; cream cheese with 99 mg of calcium; and part-skim mozzarella cheese with 72 mg of calcium.
Vegetables
Vegetables offer a vegan source of protein that adds grams of protein to any diet. The Harvard University Health Services furnishes a list of cooked vegetables in half-cup servings and the amount of calcium contained in each, including: boiled collard greens with 110 mg of calcium, boiled Chinese cabbage with 79 mg of calcium, boiled okra with 77 mg of calcium, baked butternut squash with 45 mg of calcium, baked sweet potato with 32 mg of calcium and boiled peas with 20 mg of calcium.
Beans
Beans supply a vegan source of calcium. Health Link BC provides a list of cooked beans in three-quarter cup servings along with the amount of calcium in each including: white beans with 119 mg of calcium, navy beans with 93 mg of calcium; black beans 75 mg of calcium, pinto beans with 58 mg of calcium and chickpeas with 58 g of calcium.
Soybeans and soy products add calcium to your diet, too. MyPyramid.gov supplies a list of soybean products in half-cup servings and the amount of calcium contained in each including: tempeh with 92 mg of calcium; textured vegetable protein with 160 g of calcium; and firm, fortified tofu with 861 g of calcium.
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