Calcium is a mineral that helps the body maintain bone and tooth health. Calcium also helps muscles move and the nerves carry messages throughout the body, according to the National Institutes of Health. Lack of calcium can lead to serious conditions including osteoporosis, which is characterized by soft, weak bones that fracture and break easily. Many food sources for calcium help keep the body well nourished and running smoothly.
Dairy Foods
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Guide Pyramid includes calcium-rich dairy foods in the milk group. According to the Pyramid, only calcium-rich foods are included in the milk group's dietary recommendations. It includes low-fat milk; hard, natural cheeses such as Swiss, mozzarella, cheddar and parmesan cheese; soft cheeses, such as ricotta and cottage cheese; processed cheese , like American; yogurt and desserts made with milk, like pudding and most forms of ice cream and frozen yogurt. With 244 mg of calcium per serving, skim milk has a relatively high amount and yogurt comes in at a close second with 243 mg in a low-fat, 150 g serving. Cheese runs the gamut of calcium amounts, with fresh Parmesan containing 308 mg and mozzarella serving up 203 mg. Cream cheese, butter and cream have little to no calcium, according to the USDA and are not included in the listings.
Fish
Some fish are rich in calcium, especially canned fish and ground up seafood, as the bones offer calcium. Sardines, canned salmon, fried whitebait and fish paste all contains calcium. A 100 g can of sardines offers 500 mg of calcium, while 100 g of canned salmon includes 91 mg. Fish stock made from the bones and shells of sea creatures also contain calcium.
Vegetables
Some vegetables have calcium, too, including broccoli, watercress, green beans, curly kale and okra. Calcium amounts in these foods range from a 95 g serving of curly kale containing 143 mg of calcium, to 85 g of broccoli containing 34 mg. The Harvard School of Public Health warns that some calcium-rich vegetables also contain nutrients that lessen the absorption of calcium. If a vegetable contains oxalic or phytic acid, then the calcium may be poorly absorbed because of the acids. So, although a cup of frozen spinach contains almost as much calcium as a cup of milk, only a tenth as much is absorbed because of the oxalic acid.
Other Foods with Calcium
Some foods offer calcium because they're enriched with it, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. Fortified breakfast foods, such as cereals, orange juice and waffles, all help meet your daily calcium needs. Other foods with calcium include tofu, raw apricots and figs. Plain pasta, white rice and bread also have some calcium, which can add up to a lot when they're a regular part of your diet. Calcium amounts in these foods range from 506 mg in four figs to 32 mg of calcium in 180 g of white rice.
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