8 Foods Vegans Can Eat For More Calcium

Get plenty of calcium with these foods

It can be challenging for vegans to get enough calcium. Most of us associate this bone- and tooth-strengthening nutrient with milk, cheese, and yogurt. But if you don’t eat dairy products, there are other healthy ways to get your needs met. Leafy green vegetables plus seeds and nuts can help.

Calcium also keeps blood vessels, muscles, and nerves functioning properly. So be sure to know the signs if your body isn’t getting enough of this important nutrient.

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Sesame seeds

Calcium content: 277 mg, 28% Daily Value
Serving: 1 ounce, whole sesame seeds about 160 calories
Try it: The calcium content varies drastically depending on if the seeds are whole or dried and hulled. So make sure to check the packaging. Any variety is easy to work into many dishes. Sprinkle them into salads, beans, or vegetables for crunch.

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Bok choy

Calcium content: 158 mg, 16% Daily Value
Serving: 1 cup, boiled without salt about 20 calories
Try it: This Chinese cabbage provides a surprising amount of calcium per serving—it’s also a food that helps reduce inflammation as well. You’ll want to try this bok choy salad recipe.

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Tahini

Calcium content: 112 mg, 12% Daily Value
Serving: 2 tablespoons, about 160 calories
Try it: Tahini is sesame paste or sauce made from toasted, ground, hulled sesame seeds. It’s created similarly to the way peanut butter is made from peanuts. It’s often an ingredient in hummus. Try using tahini in salad dressings, with grilled or roasted vegetables, with noodles, and even in desserts. Here’s a noodle salad made with tahini and two kinds of peas.

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Kale

Calcium content: 53 mg, 5% Daily Value; 177 mg, 17% Daily Value
Serving: 1 cup, raw about 7 calories; 1 cup, boiled without salt
Try it: We know—you probably don’t think of kale as one of the foods with calcium you should add to your diet, but it packs a nutritional punch. 

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Almonds

Calcium content: 75 mg, 8% Daily Value
Serving: 1 ounce (23 almonds), about 160 calories
Try it: Let’s just say it—almonds should be your best friend. Not only are they rich in calcium, but, according to a study in the Journal of Nutrition, just a handful of almonds a day may help lower cholesterol, too. 

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Broccoli

Calcium content: 62 mg, 6% Daily Value; 34 mg
Serving: 1 cup, boiled without salt, about 55 calories; 1 cup raw broccoli florets, 20 calories
Try it: Broccoli isn’t just calcium-rich—it’s a nutritional powerhouse loaded with benefits. Seriously, it’s one of the healthiest vegetables you can eat. Enjoy it in this vegan ramen recipe that might just become your go-to soup.

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Spinach

Calcium content: 60 mg, 6% Daily Value
Serving: 2 cups, raw, about 14 calories
Try it: The benefits of spinach are numerous—not only is it one of the foods with calcium you should eat to improve bone health, but it also has been shown to lower blood pressure and may ward off hardening of the arteries. Here’s how to sneak more spinach into your day.

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Watercress

Calcium content: 40 mg, 4% Daily Value
Serving: 1 cup, raw, about 4 calories
Try it: Watercress might not be on your radar the way kale is, but it should be—it’s one of the most nutrient-dense vegetables you can eat.