Individuals with lactose intolerance, or a sensitivity to a sugar in milk, must seek calcium food sources other than dairy products. Even if patients can ingest milk products with little discomfort, they may be unable to fully use their nutrients. Alternate menus for the lactose intolerant should achieve 1,000mg of calcium per day, as averaged by the FDA. Adolescents and adults older than 50 may need more of this mineral. To get the full daily value, or DV, of calcium content, consumers should choose a variety of calcium foods from different food groups.
Fruit
Calcium-enriched prepared orange juice provides 200mg or more in calcium content, according to the National Institutes of Health. These food sources may be fortified with calcium lactate, a mineral compound that does not pose problems to the lactose intolerant. The FDA considers enriched orange juice and other foods with 20 percent DV or greater content high in calcium.
Nuts
Healthy snack mixes can include almonds, with 75mg, and Brazil nuts, with 45mg of calcium per ounce. The National Institutes of Health says that nuts alone won't sustain calcium levels, but the content adds up, and the nuts contribute additional dietary nutrients. Some almond-based beverages also come in calcium-enriched versions.
Grains
Rice beverages with added calcium have similar benefits, offering 283mg of calcium per cup, according to the USDA Nutrient Database. The lactose intolerant may pour rice drink on calcium-enriched cereals, to get 100 percent DV or more in one meal. Many ready-to-eat cereals contain from 100mg to 1,000mg of calcium, the NIH says. Some bread products contain added calcium as well.
Legumes
Consumers can get a steady supply of calcium from a variety of legume food sources, including soy products. Cooked dry soybeans, 261mg, and white beans, 191mg, provide as much as 26 percent DV in 1 cup, according to the USDA. Suggested servings of calcium-enriched soy milk and tofu offer similar or greater calcium content to the lactose intolerant.
Seafood
The NIH suggests 3-oz. servings of canned pink salmon, 181mg, and sardines, 325mg. When consumed with their soft, edible bones, these fish make rich calcium food sources of up to 33 percent DV.
Vegetables
Choosing leafy, green vegetables frequently will help maintain calcium stores in the body. As the USDA says, 1 cup of cooked collard greens has 357mg, or greater than 35 percent of total daily calcium needs. Strong calcium content also exists in spinach, turnip greens, kale, beet greens and Chinese cabbage.
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