If you think you need more dietary calcium, you could take calcium pills, but food sources are considered superior. The USDA points out that, in addition to building your daily value of 1,000 mg, calcium foods contribute extra nutrients to your diet that mineral supplements don't provide. Foods that do double duty in this manner are nutrient dense, offering significant vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients within relatively few calories. Get your daily calcium from low-fat food sources.
Milk, Yogurt and Cheese
Dairy products are among the most widely available calcium foods and have the some of the highest content of this mineral, as well as significant protein. Due to its condensed nature, yogurt contributes the most per serving, with 452 mg of calcium per 8 oz. of plain, fat-free varieties. The USDA Nutrient Database also lists 8 oz. of milk as strong in calcium, with about 300 mg in reduced-fat, unflavored varieties. Swiss, provolone, mozzarella, cheddar and muenster cheeses are all high in calcium, with over 200 mg per 1-oz. serving. Milk also contains vitamins A and D, potassium and magnesium, while cheese and some yogurts do not.
Fish
While most fish are low in calcium, a few provide strong daily values in 3 oz, along with protein and some B vitamins. Moderate calcium-content sources with more than 50 mg include halibut, 51 mg; haddock, 63 mg; rainbow trout, 73 mg; and ocean perch, 116 mg. Greater concentrations of calcium, as well as vitamin D, are found in the edible bones of canned pink salmon, 181 mg, and canned sardines, 325 mg, according to the USDA.
Leafy Green Vegetables and White Beans
Leafy greens represent vegetable group sources of calcium, along with various combinations of magnesium, potassium, iron, folate and vitamins A, C and E. Cooking greens raises their calcium values, with 1 cup of cooked spinach offering the most, at 291 mg. Additional greens to eat for calcium include collards, 266 mg, turnip greens, 249 mg, and kale, 179 mg. White-colored beans such as white, navy and Great Northern all provide moderate calcium content in 1 cup.
Enriched Foods
Enriched cereals and cooked dry beans and peas make steady dietary sources of calcium. Check the nutrition facts on cereal labels to find those with significant added calcium, such as General Mills Total varieties, 1,000 mg, B&G Foods Cream of Wheat, 232 mg, and Kellogg's Nutri-Grain cereal bars, with 200 mg per suggested serving. The USDA notes that some brands of tofu and soymilk are processed with calcium citrate, providing high calcium content per 1-cup serving.
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