Selections from rich food sources of calcium can improve a healthy diet or target certain health concerns such as osteoporosis and high blood pressure. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) reports that eating a variety of foods from calcium sources will provide the average 1,000mg needed daily by adults, as well as other essential nutrients. Children, aging men and women, and vegetarians and other people who avoid dairy products may need more calcium than they are getting. Before buying mineral supplements, consumers should add more calcium foods to their diets.
Yogurt
Among stand-alone dairy calcium sources, yogurt packs the greatest punch, with 452mg, or nearly 50 percent of the daily requirement, per 1-cup serving of plain, fat-free varieties. According to the USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the absence of fat and sugar make this low-calorie selection appropriate for a healthy diet. Additional fat or fruit content within the serving size, however, decreases the calcium content.
Milk Shakes
Both milk and ice cream are potent calcium foods. One cup of nonfat, 1 percent, 2 percent and whole milk ranges from 276mg to 305mg in calcium content. One cup of vanilla ice cream has 168mg. When combined, the two calcium foods offer 457mg total in an 11-oz. vanilla ice cream milk shake. Alternate flavorings slightly reduce calcium amounts. The USDA recommends choosing a reduced-fat milk and limiting ice cream servings to ½ cup.
Cheese
Dairy cheeses add calcium to a healthy diet, with reduced-fat varieties available and encouraged by the USDA. Rich calcium foods include reduced-fat cottage and ricotta cheeses, with 206mg and 669mg each per 1 cup. Cheddar, mozzarella, provolone and Swiss cheeses each contain from 204mg to 224mg per 1-oz. serving.
Sardines and Salmon
Limited quantities of oily fish canned with soft bones contribute large amounts of calcium and beneficial omega-3 fatty acids in one serving, according to the Dietary Guidelines. Sardines have 325mg and pink salmon has 181mg in 3-oz. servings.
Leafy Greens
Vegetarian calcium sources include mineral-rich collards, with as much as 357mg, and spinach, with as much as 291mg, when cooked and in 1-cup servings. Rhubarb, kale and turnip greens offer high calcium content as well, according to the USDA Nutrient Database.
Dry Beans
Cooked, dry beans represent another nondairy calcium source with high content. One cup of cooked navy, Great Northern and white beans contains from 120mg to 191mg. Cooked soybeans have as much as 261mg per cup. The NIH says that some varieties of soy milk and tofu made from soybeans enrich the already strong calcium content.
Fortified Cereals
According to the USDA, General Mills Total variety cereals make particularly nutritious additions to healthy diets. The cereal's added calcium provides 1,000mg in ¾ to 1 cup of cereal, for 100 percent of the average daily adult requirement.
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