Top 20 Vegetables Highest in Calcium

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BSc (Hons) MSc DipION Photo of Dr. Nicolette Natale Medically Reviewed by
Dr. Nicolette Natale
Evidence Based. References sourced from PubMed. Powered by USDA Nutrition Data.
Top 20 Vegetables Highest in Calcium

Calcium is a mineral necessary for the growth and maintenance of strong bones, strong teeth, nerve signaling, muscle contraction, and secretion of certain hormones and enzymes. (1,2,3,4)

Calcium is an electrolyte, and a deficiency in calcium can lead to numbness in the fingers and toes, muscle cramps, convulsions, lethargy, loss of appetite, and abnormal heart rhythms. (5,6) A long-term calcium deficiency can lead to bone loss (osteopenia) and fragile bones (osteoporosis). (7) Vitamin D and Vitamin K are also important nutrients for preventing osteoporosis. (7)

Finding calcium in vegetables and fruits is a concern for vegans, people on a raw food diet, or people who simply want to eat a varied plant-based diet. While there is some evidence that oxalates in vegetables can hinder calcium absorption, they are still a good source of calcium. Kale shows similar calcium absorbability to that of milk, (8) and soybeans are also a good source. (9) For more, see the section on calcium absorption.

Vegetables high in calcium include turnip greens, kale, mustard greens, beet greens, bok choy, okra, Swiss chard, and broccoli raab. The daily value (DV) for calcium is 1300mg. (10,11)

Note: Spinach and collard greens are high in both calcium and oxalates. An estimated 5% of the calcium is absorbed from spinach vs 40% from kale. (12,8) For this reason, spinach and collard greens are omitted from this curated list.

Below is a list of high-calcium vegetables by common serving size, for more see the list of high-calcium fruits and high-calcium foods.

You can also see 200 vegetables high in calcium using the nutrient ranking tool.

List of Vegetables High in Calcium

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How Much Calcium Do You Need Everyday?

The daily value (%DV) for Calcium is 1300mg and is a general target intended for most people. The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) shows specific targets by age and gender. The RDA for Calcium is between 800mg - 1300mg for most people.

Life StageRDA
Children
1-3 years old700mg
4-8 years old1000mg
Males
9-18 years old1300mg
19-70 years old1000mg
70+ years old1200mg
Females
9-18 years old1300mg
19-50 years old1000mg
50+ years old1200mg
Pregnancy
14-18 years old1300mg
19-50 years old1000mg
Lactation
14-18 years old1300mg
19-50 years old1000mg
Source: National Library of Medicine Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium and Vitamin D

What Affects Calcium Absorption?

  • Amount of Calcium In Your Body - When previous consumption of calcium is low, your body will naturally absorb more calcium to compensate for the difference. (13)
  • Vitamin D Intake - Vitamin D is critical for the absorption and regulation of calcium. (14,15) It can be found in foods or created by exposing skin to sunshine.
  • Age - Calcium absorption declines with age, particularly for women over 70 and men over 50. (16,17)
  • Pregnancy - Pregnant women absorb more calcium. (18)
  • Phytic and Oxalic Acid - The absorption of calcium from foods low in oxalates and phytic acid can be 20-40% as is true for milk and kale. (19,20) While oxalic acid and phytic acid does hinder calcium absorption it does not block it altogether. For example, 5% of the calcium in spinach is absorbed (21), while 30% of the calcium in soybeans is absorbed (22). Still avoiding foods high in phytic and oxalic acid will benefit calcium absorption. High amounts of oxalic acid are found in plant foods like spinach, collard greens, sweet potatoes, rhubarb, and beans. Phytic acid is found in whole bread and wheat bran.

Should I Take Calcium Supplements?

Unless prescribed by a doctor or health care provider calcium supplementation may do more harm than good. (23,24)

Major concerns with the over-consumption of calcium include gastrointestinal disease, kidney stones, and even heart disease. (23,24)

Only take calcium supplements if directed by a doctor or health care provider, or if you are sure you are consuming less than the recommended 1000-1200mg per day.

Further, calcium supplements will not be effective without adequate intake of vitamin D. (16,17)

Do vegans and vegetarians need to take calcium supplements?

Determining supplemental calcium needs for vegans and vegetarians is complex, and there is no clear evidence suggesting that vegetarians or vegans on a diet with a variety of foods need to supplement. (25,26) Further, calcium and vitamin D are frequently added to vegan milk substitutes like soymilk, almond milk, and coconut milk. As such, vegans and vegetarians do not need to supplement with calcium unless directed by a health care provider or are sure they are consuming less calcium.

What Other Foods and Nutrients Can Help Make My Bones Stronger?

Several nutrients are necessary for strong bones in addition to calcium. These include vitamin D, vitamin K, magnesium, phosphorus, protein, boron, silicon, and fluoride. (27,28,26)

Further, resistance exercises like weight lifting, and even tennis, can help maintain strong bones and encourage bone development or create "osteogenic effects". (29,30,31)

Use the ranking tool links below to select foods and create your own food list to share or print.


View more nutrients with the nutrient ranking tool, or see ratios with the nutrient ratio tool.

Data Sources and References

  1. Cashman KD. Calcium nutrition and metabolism Br J Nutr. 2002 May;87 Suppl 2:S169-77. doi: 10.1079/BJNBJN/2002534. 12088515
  2. Hanioka T, Ojima M, Tanaka K, Aoyama H. Low calcium intake is related to increased risk of tooth loss in men Gerodontology. 2007 Jun;24(2):87-92. doi: 10.1111/j.1741-2358.2007.00166.x. 17518955
  3. Ren ZL, Zuo PP. Calcium signalling: A common target in neurological disorders and neurogenesis J Pharmacol Sci. 2012;120(3):139-45. doi: 10.1254/jphs.12r06cp. Epub 2012 Oct 26. 23099323
  4. Steinberg JP, Leitner JW, Draznin B, Sussman KE. Calcium calmodulin and hormone secretion Diabetes. 1984 Apr;33(4):339-45. doi: 10.2337/diab.33.4.339. 6200377
  5. [No authors listed] Electrolytes Ann Clin Lab Sci. 2022 May;52(3):511-525. 35777803
  6. Palal B, Sinsakul M, Reutrakul S. Hypocalcemia in Malignancy - Unexpected but Common Case Rep Endocrinol. 2011;2011:370583. doi: 10.1155/2011/370583. Epub 2011 Oct 29. 22937282
  7. Murray TM. Importance of calcium, vitamin D and vitamin K for osteoporosis prevention and treatment CMAJ. 1996 Oct 1;155(7):935-9. 8837543
  8. Heaney RP, Weaver CM. Calcium absorption from kale Am J Clin Nutr. 1989 Oct;50(4):830-2. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/50.4.830. 2801588
  9. Jariwalla RJ. Soybean phytate content: effect on calcium absorption Am J Clin Nutr. 1992 Sep;56(3):609. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/56.3.609. 1503078
  10. U.S.FDA - Daily Value on the New Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels
  11. Aloia JF. Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium and Vitamin D J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2011 Oct;96(10):2987-96. doi: 10.1210/jc.2011-0090. Epub 2011 Jul 27. 21795456
  12. Weaver CM, Heaney RP. Calcium absorbability from spinach Calcif Tissue Int. 1991 Oct;49(4):244-7. doi: 10.1007/BF02556212. 1760767
  13. Bronner F. Nutritional aspects of calcium absorption J Cell Biochem. 2003 Feb 1;88(2):387-93. doi: 10.1002/jcb.10330. 12520541
  14. Fleet JC, Reyes-Fernandez P. Vitamin D-Mediated Regulation of Intestinal Calcium Absorption J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2020 Jun;200:105670. doi: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2020.105670. Epub 2020 Apr 10. 32283207
  15. Lorenzo Sellares V, Torregrosa V. Vitamin D, calcium homeostasis and aging Nefrologia. 2008;28 Suppl 3:67-78. 19018742
  16. Sørensen OH, Lumholtz B, Lund B, Lund B, Hjelmstrand IL, Mosekilde L, Melsen F, Bishop JE, Norman AW. Impaired vitamin D metabolism with aging in women. Possible role in pathogenesis of senile osteoporosis J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1982 Jun;54(6):1258-61. doi: 10.1210/jcem-54-6-1258. 6978888
  17. Lorenzo Sellares V, Torregrosa V. Age-related decline of bone mass and intestinal calcium absorption in normal males Nefrologia. 2008;28 Suppl 3:67-78. 19018742
  18. Gillies BR, Ryan BA, Tonkin BA, Poulton IJ, Ma Y, Kirby BJ, St-Arnaud R, Sims NA, Kovacs CS. Pregnancy up-regulates intestinal calcium absorption and skeletal mineralization independently of the vitamin D receptor J Bone Miner Res. 2018 Jan;33(1):16-26. doi: 10.1002/jbmr.3217. Epub 2017 Aug 2. 28686309
  19. Murray TM. Calcium bioavailability and its relation to osteoporosis CMAJ. 1996 Oct 1;155(7):935-9. 8837543
  20. Sotelo A, González-Osnaya L, Sánchez-Chinchillas A, Trejo A. Effects of fiber, phytic acid, and oxalic acid in the diet on mineral bioavailability Int J Food Sci Nutr. 2010 Feb;61(1):29-39. doi: 10.3109/09637480903213649. 20001762
  21. Weaver CM, Heaney RP. Calcium absorbability from spinach Calcif Tissue Int. 1991 Oct;49(4):244-7. doi: 10.1007/BF02556212. 1760767
  22. Jariwalla RJ. Soybean phytate content: effect on calcium absorption Am J Clin Nutr. 1992 Sep;56(3):609. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/56.3.609. 1503078
  23. [No authors listed] Calcium supplements: benefits and risks J Intern Med. 2016 Mar;279(3):311. doi: 10.1111/joim.12474. 26891945
  24. Daly RM, Ebeling PR. The good, the bad, and the ugly of calcium supplementation: a review of calcium intake on human health Nutrients. 2010 May;2(5):505-22. doi: 10.3390/nu2050505. Epub 2010 May 17. 22254038
  25. Tucker KL. The effects of vegetarian diets on bone health: A literature review Am J Clin Nutr. 2014 Jul;100 Suppl 1:329S-35S. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.113.071621. Epub 2014 Jun 4. 24898237
  26. Wengreen HJ, Munger RG, West NA, Cutler DR, Corcoran CD, Zhang J, Sassano NE. Calcium from plant sources is beneficial to lowering the risk of osteoporosis in postmenopausal Korean women J Bone Miner Res. 2004 Apr;19(4):537-45. doi: 10.1359/JBMR.040208. Epub 2004 Feb 9. 15005839
  27. Gennari C. Essential Nutrients for Bone Health and a Review of their Availability in the Average North American Diet Public Health Nutr. 2001 Apr;4(2B):547-59. doi: 10.1079/phn2001140. 11683549
  28. Francis RM. The role of nutrients in bone health, from A to Z Br J Nutr. 2008 Jan;99(1):155-9. doi: 10.1017/S0007114507791924. Epub 2007 Jul 19. 17640420
  29. Chachra D, Limeback H, Willett TL, Grynpas MD. The effects of fluoridated water on bone strength J Dent Res. 2010 Nov;89(11):1219-23. doi: 10.1177/0022034510376070. Epub 2010 Sep 21. 20858781
  30. Fagundes Belchior G, Kirk B, Pereira da Silva EA, Duque G. Effects of Resistance Exercise on Bone Health Eur Geriatr Med. 2020 Oct;11(5):715-724. doi: 10.1007/s41999-020-00355-6. Epub 2020 Jul 16. 32676865
  31. Calbet JA, Dorado C, Díaz-Herrera P, Rodríguez-Rodríguez LP. Bone mineral content and density in professional tennis players Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2001 Oct;33(10):1682-7. doi: 10.1097/00005768-200110000-00011. 11581552
  32. Guadalupe-Grau A, Fuentes T, Guerra B, Calbet JA. The effects of progressive resistance training on bone density: a review Sports Med. 2009;39(6):439-68. doi: 10.2165/00007256-200939060-00002. 19453205
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