Staying strong throughout your life starts with bone health. And calcium is one of the major minerals that makes up the backbone of, well, your bones.
“Calcium helps you build bones, but it’s also necessary for your hair, nails, teeth and skin,” says Natalie Rizzo, nutrition editor at TODAY. Other minerals, like phosphorus and magnesium, also help keep your bones strong and prevent bone loss over time.
We also need calcium for proper muscle function, nerve transmission and the secretion of hormones, registered dietitian Frances Largeman-Roth tells TODAY.com.
It’s especially important for women to be aware of their calcium needs “because we lose bone mass as we age,” Rizzo explains.
Men need to get calcium too, of course. But women are especially prone to bone issues as they get older, Rizzo says, which makes getting enough calcium — and making it a habit to eat calcium-rich foods — all the more vital.
How much calcium do you need?
Most adults between the ages of 19 and 50 need 1,000 milligrams of calcium per day, Largeman-Roth notes. And women over the age of 50 need even more: 1,200 milligrams a day. At age 70 and above, everyone needs to get 1,200 milligrams per day.
Unfortunately, many people — especially women — do not get enough calcium. On average, women over the age of 20 only get about 842 milligrams per day, according to the National Institutes of Health. “And a chronic calcium deficit can lead to osteoporosis,” Largeman-Roth notes.
There are a lot of foods that provide a good dose of calcium, so you have plenty of delicious options to get a little more of the essential mineral. But, if you don’t eat dairy, you may need to work a little harder to get your calcium needs met, Rizzo notes.
Foods that are high in calcium
Some of the most plentiful and best-known sources of calcium come from dairy, including yogurt, milk and cheese. But if you don’t like dairy or can’t eat it, there are many non-dairy foods rich in calcium too.
Here are some of the best food sources of calcium:
Yogurt
Just 8 ounces of plain, low-fat yogurt will get you 415 milligrams of calcium, the NIH says, which amounts to a third of your daily value. Choosing a plain variety of yogurt means you’ll be avoiding unnecessary added sugar, but you can feel free to add fresh fruit or a healthy granola with nuts and seeds.
Milk
It’s true — cow’s milk is quite high in calcium. Just one cup of non-fat milk provides nearly 300 milligrams of calcium. You can choose milk that contains fat if you prefer, but the NIH notes that as fat content increases, calcium content slightly decreases. For instance, a cup of whole milk contains 276 milligrams of calcium.
Cottage cheese
Cottage cheese is high in protein and high in calcium. A cup of low-fat cottage cheese will get you about 138 milligrams of calcium, which amounts to 11% of your daily value. Keep in mind that, unlike yogurt, cottage cheese typically contains sodium.
Tofu
If you’re looking for non-dairy sources of calcium, tofu may be a particularly great option. This soy-based protein source is versatile to cook with and provides a whopping 253 milligrams of calcium per half-cup serving. Be sure to look for firm or extra-firm tofu, which contains more calcium due to the calcium sulfate brands use to curdle (and toughen) the product, Largeman-Roth explains.
Soy milk
Yes, traditional cow’s milk is high in calcium. But soy milk is typically fortified with a comparable amount of calcium and vitamin D, so it contains plenty of this mineral as well. In a cup of the average soy milk, you’ll find about 300 milligrams of calcium, per the NIH.
Canned fish (with bones)
A lesser-known source of calcium is canned fish with bones, Rizzo says, such as canned salmon. “It actually has the bones in it, and they’re very soft so you can eat them,” she adds. Just 3 ounces of canned salmon with bones provides 181 milligrams of calcium.
Almonds
High in protein, fiber and vitamin E, almonds are also a surprisingly rich source of calcium. A 3/4-cup serving of almonds gives you 320 milligrams of this mineral, Largeman-Roth says.
Dried figs
Just a half-cup serving of deliciously sweet dried figs nets you 120 milligrams of calcium. Largeman-Roth recommends slicing dried figs up and adding them to oatmeal and yogurt. Or, she says, try them in this recipe for Quinoa Salad with Figs and Mint.
Kale
You probably already know that dark, leafy greens like spinach and kale are packed with nutrients. So it might not be surprising that kale in particular is a good source of calcium. A cup of raw kale will get you 24 milligrams, but a cup of cooked kale bumps that up to 94 milligrams.
Bok choy
As with kale, bok choy is a delicious leafy green that boasts a plentiful dose of calcium, too. A 1-cup serving of cooked bok choy delivers 158 milligrams of calcium.
Calcium-fortified orange juice
A classic glass of orange juice can provide a bunch of calcium — as long as it’s been fortified. Just one cup of fortified orange juice can contain 349 milligrams of calcium, which is almost 30% of your daily value, the NIH says. Keep in mind that the calcium can settle at the bottom of the container, Largeman-Roth notes, so just shake it before you drink it.
Try pairing calcium with vitamin D and vitamin K
Getting a bunch of calcium-rich foods in your diet is great. And, by pairing calcium with other nutrients, you can help your body make even better use of the calcium you eat.
Vitamin D helps your body absorb and use calcium, and vitamin K2 helps place the calcium in your bones, experts told TODAY.com previously. Getting plenty of all these nutrients in your meals, in addition to phosphorus and magnesium, will keep your bones feeling solid and strong throughout your life.