Foods rich in Calcium
Why do we need calcium?
Calcium is essential for strong and healthy bones and teeth, and the proper functioning of the heart. It helps to prevent conditions like osteoporosis.
Ensuring we have enough calcium in our diet will maintain our bone strength and reduce the amount of bone we lose as we age. This is especially important because our bodies can not make calcium, so we need to get our calcium from our diet.
How much calcium do we need?
|
|
|
Recommended daily intake of |
|
Infants and Toddlers |
1-3 |
500 |
|
Children |
4-8 |
700 |
|
|
9-11 |
1000 |
|
|
12-18 |
1300 |
|
Men |
19-70 |
1000 |
|
|
Over 70 |
1300 |
|
Women |
19-70 |
1000 |
|
|
Over 70 |
1300 |
|
Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women |
14-18 |
1300 |
|
|
19-50 |
1000 |
Calcium-rich foods
The most well-known sources of calcium are milk and dairy products (e.g. cheese and yoghurt). It is recommended to choose the low-fat options of these dairy products. Dairy products are the richest source of calcium.
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CALCIUM CONTENT OF COMMON FOODS |
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|
|
Serving size |
Calcium content (mg) |
|
Almonds |
½ cup approx.10 (15 gm) |
220 |
|
Apricots, dried |
1 cup |
72 |
|
Baked beans |
1 cup (270 g) |
100 |
|
Beans, French |
100 gm |
186 |
|
Beans, snap, green, boiled |
1 cup |
55 |
|
Blackberries, canned |
1 cup |
54 |
|
Blackberries, frozen |
1 cup |
44 |
|
Bok choy, boiled |
1 cup, shredded |
158 |
|
Bok choy, raw |
1 cup, shredded |
74 |
|
Broccoli, cooked |
1 cup |
100 |
|
Cabbage, boiled |
½ cup, shredded |
36 |
|
Cabbage, raw |
1 cup, shredded |
28 |
|
Cabbage, red, boiled |
½ cup, shredded |
32 |
|
Cabbage, red, raw |
1 cup, shredded |
32 |
|
Carrots, raw |
1 cup, chopped |
42 |
|
Celery, raw |
1 cup, chopped |
41 |
|
Cheese |
3 slices (40 g) |
300 |
|
Cheese, camembert |
25 gm |
380 |
|
Cheese, cheddar |
25 gm |
600 |
|
Cheese, cream |
15 gm |
100 |
|
Cheese, edam |
25 gm |
740 |
|
Cheese, parmesan |
10 gm |
1220 |
|
Collards, boiled (Like silver beet, kale) |
1 cup, chopped |
266 |
|
Currants, dried |
1 cup |
124 |
|
Custard |
70 gm |
140 |
|
Egg |
1 medium (55 gm) |
50 |
|
Figs, dried |
½ cup (105 g) |
300 |
|
Gingernut biscuit |
1 biscuit (15 gm) |
130 |
|
Ice cream |
1 cup (140 g) |
200 |
|
Lentils |
100 gm |
51 |
|
Macaroni cheese |
180 gm |
180 |
|
Milk - Balance® milk |
1 glass (200 ml) |
300 |
|
Milk - CalciTrim® |
1 glass (200 ml) |
400 |
|
Milk - homogenised milk |
1 glass (200 ml) |
200 |
|
Milk - non-fat Trim® milk |
1 glass (200 ml) |
300 |
|
Muesli |
1 serving (80 g) |
200 |
|
Mussels |
1 cup (160 g) |
300 |
|
Orange |
100 gm |
43 |
|
Peas, boiled |
1 cup |
67 |
|
Pickles, cucumber, dill or kosher dill |
1 cup, chopped |
60 |
|
Pickles, cucumber, sweet |
1 cup, slices |
93 |
|
Pizza (cheese, tomato) |
150 gm |
240 |
|
Pumpkin, boiled |
1 cup, mashed |
37 |
|
Rhubarb, stewed |
1 cup |
250 |
|
Salmon |
1 cup (240 g) |
200 |
|
Sardines |
½ can (50 g) |
350 |
|
Soya, low fat |
1 glass (200 ml) |
240 |
|
Soybeans, green, boiled |
1 cup |
261 |
|
Soybeans, green, raw |
1 cup |
504 |
|
Spinach, boiled (NZ) |
1 cup, chopped |
86 |
|
Spinach, raw (NZ) |
1 cup, chopped |
32 |
|
Sweet potato, cooked, baked in skin, without salt |
1 cup |
76 |
|
Sweet potato, cooked, boiled, without skin |
1 cup, mashed |
89 |
|
Tofu |
3 cubes (125 g) |
200 |
|
Tomato products, canned, paste, no salt added |
1 cup |
94 |
|
Yoghurt |
1 pot (150 g) |
200 |
Why do we need Vitamin D too?
Vitamin D helps the body to absorb calcium more effectively. The main source of Vitamin D is from sunlight.
