Top 15 calcium-rich foods

• 0-12 months (non-breastfed only) – 525mg
• 1-3 years – 350mg
• 4-6 years – 450mg
• 7-10 years – 550mg
• 11-18 years, boys – 1000mg
• 11-18 years, girls – 800mg
• Adults (19+) years – 700mg
• Pregnant women – 700mg
• Breastfeeding women – 700mg + 550mg
• Post-menopausal women -1200mg

Those prescribed drug treatments for osteoporosis may benefit from a daily calcium intake of around 1000mg. Similarly, your calcium requirements may be higher if you have certain health conditions such as coeliac disease or irritable bowel disease. Your doctor or GP will be able to advise you on how much calcium you should eat if you have one of these conditions or you are prescribed certain medications.

15 of the best sources of calcium

1. Cheese and cheese-based dishes

Most cheeses are excellent sources of calcium and we’re able to absorb the calcium in these foods more efficiently too.

Amount of calcium per average portion size:

• 30g parmesan – 300mg
• 40g edam/gouda – 300mg
• 60g paneer – 300mg
• 30g cheddar/low-fat hard cheese – 200mg
• 30g halloumi – 200mg
• 80g cottage cheese – 100mg
• 40g camembert – 100mg

A cheeseboard may be the most obvious serving suggestion, but dishes made with cheese also count towards your daily total, such as cheese omelettes, quiches made with cheese and egg, and dishes with cheese-based sauces like macaroni cheese or cauliflower cheese.

Find more cheese recipes.

2. Milk – skimmed, semi-skimmed, whole and fortified soya

Amount of calcium per average portion size:

• 200ml milk (skimmed/semi-skimmed/whole) – 240mg
• 200ml soya milk (calcium fortified) – 240mg

Drink milk on its own or paired with low-sugar cereal or muesli. Milk-based drinks such as malted milk, hot chocolate or milkshakes also count, but be aware that the sugar in these can be quite high. Porridge made with milk is a good breakfast option, while rice pudding is a classic milk-based dessert.

3. Yogurt – low-fat, whole dairy and fortified soya

Amount of calcium per average portion size:

• 125g yogurt (low-fat, whole and calcium-fortified soya) – 200mg
• 47g 'mini pot' fortified fromage frais – 50mg

Find more yogurt recipes. Serve plain yogurt with fresh fruit as a dessert or snack, or make into bircher muesli for breakfast.

4. Whey protein

This milk protein is familiar to most of us in its powdered form. Whey protein contains all 9 essential amino acids and is an easily digestible source of protein that has been shown to support athletic performance and build muscle. As well as being a valuable source of protein, whey is especially rich in calcium.

Amount of calcium per average portion size:

• 25g whey powder isolate – 198mg
• 100ml liquid whey -100mg

We’ve used liquid whey in this delicious whey chocolate mousse.

5. Tofu – firm, soft or silken (calcium-set)

Tofu is condensed soya milk that is pressed into blocks in a process a little like cheese-making. To help the soya milk coagulate ingredients that increase the calcium content of the tofu may be added, we refer to this as ‘calcium-set’ tofu.

Amount of calcium per average portion size:

• 100g tofu (steamed or fried) – 200mg

Tofu is an extremely versatile ingredient and makes a great addition to curries, stir-fries and even cannelloni.

Find more tofu recipes.

6. Canned fish – sardines and salmon

Amount of calcium per average portion size:

• 50g sardines (canned and drained) – 200mg
• 105g pink salmon (canned and drained) – 100mg

Canned fish is a useful store-cupboard protein and increases your calcium intake, too. Thrifty sardines are great in pasta dishes or on toast, while tinned salmon is delicious in salads or quick and easy fishcakes.

Find more sardine recipes.

7. Tempeh

Tempeh has an advantage over tofu and that is the fermentation process involved in making it breaks down compounds known as anti-nutrients, that can inhibit our uptake of some of the bone-friendly minerals we need. For this reason, tempeh is both easier to digest and the nutrients it naturally provides are easier to absorb as well.

Amount of calcium per average portion size:

• 100g tempeh – 120mg

You may not have thought it but tempeh is an extremely versatile ingredient – use it in a savoury traybake or in a stir-fry.

8. Seeds

Certain seeds are a good source of calcium and they're easy to incorporate into your diet, too.

Amount of calcium per average portion size:

• 1 heaped tsp tahini (sesame paste) – 100mg
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds (12g) – 100mg
• 1 tbsp chia seeds – 95mg

Mix tahini into yogurt or hummus for a delicious dressing or try a chia pudding or a breakfast, like our chia and almond overnight oats.

9. Nuts

Nuts are a powerhouse of nutrients, including minerals such as calcium.

Amount of calcium per average portion size:

• 10 whole almonds (22g) – 50mg
• 9 Brazil nuts (30g) – 50mg

Almonds and Brazil nuts are excellent examples and can be enjoyed as a snack, made into a butter or added to main course recipe. Try making your own almond butter and add nuts to savoury dishes like our chicken pomegranate and Brazil nuts.

Find out more about the health benefits of nuts.

10. Dried fruit

You may not have expected it but dried fruit are a source of bone-friendly minerals including calcium as well as magnesium and phosphorus. Figs are especially rich in calcium, with some studies suggesting they contain 3.2 times more than some other fruits.

Amount of calcium per average portion size:

• 2 dried figs (40g) – 100mg
• 8 dried apricots (64g) – 50mg

Try these delicious dolcelatte-stuffed figs and add dried apricots to savoury dishes like our vegetable tagine with apricot quinoa.

11. Beans

Beans and pulses offer numerous benefits including being a useful source of minerals, including calcium.

Amount of calcium per average portion size:

• 200g baked beans (canned) – 85mg
• 70g red kidney beans (canned) – 50mg
• 90g green or French beans – 50mg

Try our healthy baked beans and our baked eggs with beans, mushrooms, tarragon & crème fraiche.

Learn whether baked beans are healthy

12. Leafy greens

Leafy greens, especially the dark green variety, like kale, can be an especially good source.

Amount of calcium per average portion size:

• 80g kale (boiled) – 120mg
• 95g green or white cabbage (boiled) – 50mg
• 110g broccoli (steamed) – 50mg
• 40g watercress – 50mg

Incorporate more greens into your diet with our herby broccoli and pea soup, our watercress risotto with goat’s cheese or our kale salad.

13. Wheat flour

You might be surprised to discover that flour is fortified with calcium, so even toast can contribute towards your intake along with other calcium-rich food. In the UK white, refined flour is fortified with calcium carbonate making foods made with it, a useful source of calcium. Wholemeal flour is a natural source of calcium but generally contains lower amounts than the fortified refined flour.

Amount of calcium per average portion size:

• 75g white pitta – 100mg
• 43g plain naan – 80mg
• 1 medium slice white bread – 50mg
• 1 thick slice wholemeal bread – 50mg
• 230g cooked pasta, boiled – 50mg

Look through our healthy pasta and healthy sandwich recipes.

14. Amaranth

Amaranth is a gluten-free seed that is used like a grain, much like the way we use quinoa. As a seed it is highly nutritious being rich in protein, fibre and numerous vitamins and minerals, including calcium.

Amount of calcium per average portion size:

• 100g amaranth (boiled) – 50mg

Try our nutritious amaranth porridge with green tea and ginger compote.

15. Other fruit and vegetables

Eating a variety of fruit and vegetables is important for good health and they can also contribute towards your daily calcium intake too.

Amount of calcium per average portion size:

• 400g tinned tomatoes – 50mg
• 1 large orange or 3 tangerines – 50mg

Try our recipes for canned tomatoes and get inspired with different ways to add oranges to your meals.

Useful to know

Spinach, dried fruit, nuts and beans contain plant compounds called oxalates and / or phytates, these are commonly referred to as anti-nutrients and can limit how much calcium we can absorb from these foods. Despite this these foods remain useful additions to a balanced diet.

What are the best sources of calcium for vegans or people with a dairy intolerance?

If you don’t eat dairy products, aim to include lots of other calcium-rich foods such as green leafy vegetables, almonds, sesame seeds, dried fruit, pulses, fortified soya drinks and soya protein (calcium-set tofu and tempeh) in your diet. There is no evidence that a vegetarian diet, when carefully chosen, is a risk factor for osteoporosis, and vegetarians and vegans do not appear to have poorer bone health than the rest of the population.

If you are lactose intolerant, make sure you enjoy plenty of non-dairy calcium-rich foods such as pilchards, sardines, curly kale, watercress, sesame seeds and tahini (sesame seed spread). You might also choose fortified foods, such as mineral water, soya milk, breakfast cereals or bread with added calcium. Check the label on the packet to see how much calcium has been added to each portion.

A note on vitamin D

To optimise how we absorb and use calcium we also need adequate levels of vitamin D. You can get this vitamin through sunlight exposure, from certain foods and drinks or from dietary supplements. Try to get short periods (about 10 minutes) of sun exposure to your bare skin, once or twice a day, between the start of April and the end of September, without sunscreen (but taking care not to burn). A UK government advisory committee has recommended that, in addition to sensible sunlight exposure, everyone over one year of age should get 10 micrograms (10 μg) of vitamin D every day (8.5-10 micrograms for all infants under 1 year). Talk to your doctor if you are concerned that you aren’t getting enough vitamin D or if you are considering taking a supplement.

There's debate around whether dairy makes the body too ‘acidic’ and actually leeches calcium from bones. Is there any truth to this?

There is no good evidence for this. The argument is that too much protein or grain foods creates high ‘acidity’ in the bloodstream and that this results in calcium being ‘leeched from the bones’ to balance things out, causing osteoporosis and fractures. To avoid this problem, it is claimed we need an ‘alkaline diet’, which means we should eliminate foods such as dairy products. Although there is some truth in the process that they describe, the current expert consensus is that a well-balanced healthy diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables should ensure the acidity/alkalinity balance is maintained. Eliminating whole groups of foods isn’t necessary, and in fact risks cutting out essential nutrients for bone health.

Now read...

What is osteoporosis and what affects bone density?
Am I at risk of calcium deficiency?
Am I getting enough vitamin D?
More health & nutrition tips
Health benefits of magnesium
Best calcium supplements

This article was reviewed on 26 June 2025 by Kerry Torrens.

The information was supplied by Sarah Leyland, Osteoporosis Nurse Consultant at the Royal Osteoporosis Society in collaboration with the ROS's expert clinical and scientific advisors.

The Royal Osteoporosis Society is the UK’s largest national charity dedicated to improving bone health and beating osteoporosis. A healthy lifestyle, including exercise, is important for bone health and osteoporosis. You can find out more information by visiting their website.

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