Food Sources of Calcium and Vitamin D

Calcium is one of the minerals that you need to be healthy. Calcium is very important to ensure strong, healthy bones and teeth. It also helps muscles and nerves to work properly. Vitamin D helps you to absorb and use calcium. Both calcium and vitamin D may have other health benefits, but more research is needed.

How much calcium and vitamin D do you need?

What foods contain calcium?

Breastfeeding is the best way to meet your baby's calcium needs. Infant formula provides calcium for babies who can not be breastfed.

Milk, yogurt and cheese are very high in calcium. Other good sources include calcium enriched orange juice, rice beverages, and soy beverages. For more information, see Food Sources of Calcium below.

What foods contain vitamin D?

There are only a few food sources of vitamin D. Good sources of vitamin D are fortified foods and beverages such as milk, soy drinks, orange juice and margarine. Check the labels on these foods. Fish, liver, and egg yolk are the only foods that naturally contain vitamin D.

You may find it difficult to get enough vitamin D from foods, so you may want to consider taking a vitamin D supplement. Most multiple vitamin supplements contain vitamin D. Breastfed babies under 1 year of age need 400 IU of vitamin D from a supplement each day. People over 50 years of age need extra vitamin D, and they should take a supplement with 400 IU each day.

What if you do not eat dairy foods?

Every day, choose a variety of foods containing calcium and see the list below. Plan your food choices carefully. If you find it difficult to get the recommended amounts of calcium and vitamin D from foods, a combination of food sources and supplements is recommended.

Food Sources of Calcium

Dairy Foods	Serving	calcium (mg)
Milk, whole, 2%, 1% skim	1 cup	291-324
Milk, evaporated	1/2 cup	367
Buttermilk	1 cup	300-370
Kefir	1 cup	267
Cheese, hard	50 g	370 (average)*
Processed cheese spread	4 Tbsp	348
Cheese, processed slices	50 g	276
Cottage cheese, 1 or 2%	1 cup	156
Cottage cheese, <0.1%	1 cup	51
Pudding or custard made with milk	1/2 cup	150
Yogurt, plain	3/4 cup	290 (average)*
Yogurt, fruit bottom	3/4 cup	233 (average)*
Frozen yogurt, soft serve	1/2 cup	110
Ice cream	1/2 cup	97
*calcium content varies, check label

Beans and Bean Products	Serving	calcium (mg)
Tofu, medium firm or firm, made with calcium sulphate	150 g	347
Tofu, firm or extra firm, made with calcium sulphate and magnesium chloride	150 g	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	Serving	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 g	286
Sardines, Pacific, canned with bones	75 g	180
Salmon, canned with bones	75 g	208

Grains	Serving	calcium (mg)
Bannock	1 med (37g)	84
Oats, instant, regular, no sugar added	1 pouch	82

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	185
Regular soy beverage	1 cup	98

**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	1/2 cup	65
Mustard greens	1/2 cup	55
Kale	1/2 cup	49
Chinese broccoli/gai lan	1/2 cup	46
Broccoli	1/2 cup	33

Fruit	Serving	calcium (mg)
Orange	1 med	52

Other	Serving	calcium (mg)
Blackstrap molasses	1 Tbsp	179

Asian Foods	Serving	calcium (mg)
Dried fish, smelt	35 g	560
Daylily flower	100g	301
Tempeh, cooked	100g	96
Fat choy (black moss), dried	10g	88-122
Soy bean curd slab, semisoft	100 g	308
Soybean milk film, stick shape	100g	77
Seaweed, Wakame, raw	1/2 cup	63
Seaweed, dry (agar)	1/2 cup	50

For more information, see the following BC HealthLink BC Files:

#69c Baby's First Foods

#68k Vitamin and Mineral Supplements for Adults

For more nutrition information, call 8-1-1 to speak with a registered dietitian.

For more HealthLink BC File topics, visit www.HealthLinkBC.ca/healthfiles/index.stm or your local public health unit.

Click on www.HealthLinkBC.ca or call 8-1-1 for non-emergency health information and services in B.C.

For deaf and hearing-impaired assistance, call 7-1-1 in B.C.

Translation services are available in more than 130 languages on request.

0-6 months	200 mg/day
7-12 months	260 mg/day
1-3 years	700 mg/day
4-8 years	1000 mg/day
9-18 years	1300 mg/day
19-50 years (female)	1000 mg/day
19-70 years (male)	1000 mg/day
Over 50 years (female)	1200 mg/day
Over 70 years (male)	1200 mg/day

0-1 year	400 IU/day
1-70 years	600 IU/day
Over 70 years	800 IU/day

Milk	1 cup	103
Fortified rice or soy beverage	1 cup	88
Fortified orange juice	1/2 cup	53
Fortified margarine	2 tsp	51
Egg yolk	1	25
Herring, cooked	75 g	162
Trout, cooked	75 g	210
Mackerel, cooked	75 g	81
Salmon, Atlantic, cooked	75 g	246
Salmon, chum, canned	75 g	168
Salmon, pink, canned	75 g	435
Salmon, sockeye, canned	75 g	585
Sardines, Atlantic, canned	75 g	70
Sardines, Pacific, canned	75 g	360
Tuna, canned, light or white	75 g	44
Tuna, yellowfin (albacore, ahi), cooked	75 g	105
Tuna, skipjack, cooked	75 g	381
Tuna, bluefin, cooked	75 g	690

Nutrition Series
HealthLink BC File #68e, March 2011

Why do you need calcium and vitamin D?

How much calcium and vitamin D do you need?

What foods contain calcium?

What foods contain vitamin D?

What if you do not eat dairy foods?