As you enter into peri-menopause, your risk of developing osteoporosis increases. To help lower your risk, be sure and include plenty of calcium rich foods in your diet…and if you feel you’re not getting your daily requirement, consider taking a calcium supplement. You should be getting at least 1200 mg per day. During the winter months, you may want to take a little extra Vitamin D as well. Your recommended daily intake of vitamin D is 400 IU per day. Vitamin D helps your body absorb the calcium.
Dairy foods are a great source of calcium. As well as rice drinks, soy drinks and calcium enriched orange juice.
Here’s a list of calcium rich foods from the BC HEALTH GUIDE, I hope you find this information helpful.
Food Sources of Calcium
| Dairy Foods | Serving | calcium (mg) |
| Milk, with added calcium |
1 cup
|
430
|
| Milk, whole, 2%, 1% skim |
1 cup
|
300
|
| Milk, evaporated |
1/2 cup
|
367
|
| Cheese, hard |
50 gm
|
360 (average)*
|
| Processed cheese spread |
4 Tbsp
|
348
|
| Cheese, processed slices |
50 gm
|
276
|
| Cottage cheese, 1 or 2% |
2 cups
|
310
|
| Cottage cheese, <0.1% |
2 cups
|
156
|
| Yogurt, plain |
3/4 cup
|
290 (average)*
|
| Yogurt, fruit bottom |
3/4 cup
|
233 (average)*
|
| Frozen yogurt, soft serve |
1 cup
|
218
|
| Ice cream |
1 cup
|
194
|
| *calcium content varies, check label | ||
| Beans and Bean Products | Serving | calcium (mg) |
| Tofu, medium firm or firm, made with calcium sulphate |
150 gm
|
347
|
| Tofu, firm, made with calcium sulphate and magnesium chloride |
150 gm
|
234
|
| White beans |
3/4 cup
|
119
|
| Navy beans |
3/4 cup
|
93
|
| Black turtle beans |
3/4 cup
|
75
|
| Pinto beans, chickpeas |
3/4 cup
|
58
|
| Nuts and Seeds | Portion | calcium (mg) |
| Tahini (sesame seed butter) |
2 Tbsp
|
130
|
| Almonds, dry roast |
1/4 cup
|
93
|
| Almond butter |
2 Tbsp
|
88
|
| Sesame seed kernels, dried |
1/4 cup
|
50
|
| Meats, Fish, and Poultry | Serving | calcium (mg) |
| Sardines, Atlantic, canned with bones |
75 gm
|
286
|
| Sardines, Pacific, canned with bones |
75 gm
|
180
|
| Salmon, canned with bones |
75 gm
|
208
|
| Grains | Serving | calcium (mg) |
| Bannock |
1 med
|
84
|
| Oats, instant, regular, no sugar added |
1 pouch
|
165
|
| Non Dairy Drinks | Serving | calcium (mg) |
| Fortified rice or soy beverage |
1 cup
|
319**
|
| Orange juice fortified with calcium and vitamin D |
1/2 cup
|
165
|
| Regular soy beverage |
1 cup
|
110
|
| **added calcium sometimes settles at the bottom of the container; shake well before drinking |
| Vegetables (all measures for cooked vegetables) | Serving | calcium (mg) |
| Turnip greens |
1/2 cup
|
104
|
| Chinese cabbage/bok choy |
1/2 cup
|
84
|
| Okra, frozen |
1/2 cup
|
65
|
| Mustard greens |
1/2 cup
|
55
|
| Kale |
1/2 cup
|
49
|
| Chinese broccoli (gai lan) |
1/2 cup
|
46
|
| Rutabaga |
1/2 cup
|
43
|
| Broccoli |
1/2 cup
|
33
|
| Fruit |
Serving
|
calcium (mg)
|
| Orange |
1 med
|
52
|
| Other | Serving | calcium (mg) |
| Brown sugar |
1 cup
|
198
|
| Blackstrap molasses |
1 Tbsp
|
179
|
| Regular molasses |
1 Tbsp
|
44
|
| Asian Foods | Serving | calcium (mg) |
| Dried fish, smelt |
35 gm
|
560
|
| Soy bean curd slab, semisoft |
100 gm
|
308
|
| Daylily flower |
100 gm
|
303
|
| Sea cucumber, fresh |
100 gm
|
285
|
| Soy bean milk film, stick shape |
100 gm
|
77
|
| Seaweed, Wakame, raw |
1/2 cup
|
63
|
| Seaweed, dry (agar) |
1/2 cup
|
50
|
| Fat-choy, dried |
1/4 cup
|
50
|
| Soy bean milk film, dried |
100 gm
|
48
|
| Boiled bone soup |
1/2 cup
|
negligible
|
