Calcium is found in plants, and not just in the usual products we have been taught in school. From a young age we learn how important calcium is for muscles and bones, but we do not learn where to find this necessary mineral. When you begin a vegan lifestyle, there should be no concern about protein or calcium, because there is plenty of it available.
So, where do we find calcium, in which plants or grains? I have compiled here a list of leafy greens, non-dairy drinks and products, fruits, and seeds. With this, and my previous list of vegan protein sources, you should be good to go on your vegan journey – or literature, if you’re just browsing here 😉 )
Best Vegan Calcium Sources
Seeds
Chia and flax seeds have good amounts of calcium. Tahini – which is a butter made from sesame seeds – provides 130 mg per two tablespoons, so that is a pretty large amount.
Nuts
Almonds and Brazil nuts have a lot of calcium, although all nuts have this important mineral. Almonds and Brazil nuts, however, are the big winners here.
Note: Nevertheless, don’t go nuts with them. The recommended serving of almonds per day is around 23.
As for Brazil nuts, you should only eat two per day. I know, that’s disappointing, isn’t it? They’re so good! The thing about Brazil nuts is that they are very high in selenium, and too much selenium can cause brittle hair and nails.
Grains
There aren’t many grains that offer calcium, but amaranth and teff provide a pretty good amount.
Soy Foods
Edamame is a yummy snack and rich in calcium. So are tofu, tempeh, and natto. When they are minimally processed, they are also a great source of protein, vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
Fortified Foods and Drinks
Plant milks are a great source of calcium too. They have calcium added during the manufacturing process. Many of them also have the B vitamins, including B12. If you want to be sure, it is best to check the ingredient list on the product, because not all plant milks are always fortified.
Foods that are fortified with calcium are the following:
- Plant yogurt (have you tried plant yogurt made of coconut milk? Yummy!)
- Certain cereals
- Flour (sometimes, again, check the label)
- Cornmeal (sometimes, best to check the label)
Beans, Peas, and Lentils
Ah, here come the beans again, that wonder food! If you read my previous article about beans, you know what I mean 😉
- White beans
- Navy beans
- Black beans
- Chickpeas
- Kidney beans
- Lentils
Besides calcium, beans are also a great source of fiber, protein, and many other nutrients.
Fruit
Some fruits are also good calcium sources. One fig, for example, provides 18 mg. Dried figs give a little less (13mg). Orange, blackberries, blackcurrants, and raspberries also make excellent calcium sources, not to mention the other vitamins and minerals that are found in fruits.
Green Leafy Vegetables
There are many vegetables that have calcium, such as bok choy, collard greens, okra, kale, cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, turnip, and mustard, but some of them contain anti-nutrients such as oxalate.
What does oxalate do? It binds with calcium to get rid of extra amounts of it in your body. So, when plants have calcium and a high level of oxalate, your body doesn’t always easily absorb the calcium.
That is why vegetables with a lower amount of oxalates are better sources, allowing your body to absorb more calcium. Broccoli, kale, and turnip are vegetables with fewer oxalates. Yes, kale, sorry, I know that many don’t like it, it can have a bitter taste, but it all depends on how you prepare it. Have you ever tried kale chips? Or a power bomb green smoothie?
Kale chips recipe is coming up. I promise you, once you try this, you’re hooked. It is so good!
Ingredients
- A bundle of kale
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
- Seasonings of your choice
- That could be salt and pepper, curry, paprika powder, ground cumin, nutritional yeast (that gives it a yummy cheesy flavor)
Procedure
- Preheat oven to 107C (or 225F)
- Rinse and dry kale. Then divide it into small pieces. Do not use the stem.
- Add to a large bowl and drizzle with oil and seasonings of your choice. The recommended dosage is one or two tablespoons of seasoning, but sometimes I add more to increase the flavor.
- Toss the kale to combine the oil and seasonings, or mix with your hands.
- Spread kale over two large baking sheets, making sure that the pieces are nicely separated. (the less the pieces touch during baking, the crispier they will get)
- Bake for 15 minutes
- Toss or stir kale around a little, to allow even baking.
- When kale is crispy or slightly brown, remove trays from the oven
- Let it cool for a little
- Eat right away. You’ll be addicted, just like I am. I love kale chips!
Note: You can store these chips for 2 or 3 days at room temperature. I have placed them in the fridge too, that works fine, but they cannot be frozen.
Good For the Bones
In conclusion, calcium is – as we already know – important for bones and muscles, and also for circulatory and nervous systems. Dairy is not the only calcium source as it is often advertised, and now that we have looked at this list here, we can see that this mineral is present in many natural plant foods. Did I mention that you even find calcium in seaweed and blackstrap molasses? There you go, two more healthy and delicious sources. 🙂
Enjoy your kale chips! I know you will love them! Let me know in the comments if you have any more questions 🙂
One of the worries that I think many people have when moving to a vegan diet is that they will not be able to get the nutrients they need to stay healthy, and that includes calcium. This article with recipes on the best sources of calcium for vegans is really helpful.
I was surprised at the number of foods that will provide the calcium we need, and the recipes all look and sound delicious. To make sure I can get back to your website (I want to check out more of your articles) I have bookmarked it in my browser. The calcium we vegans need is most certainly out there, and I am looking forward to trying some of these recipes you have added, thanks!
Hi Dave,
Thank you! You will love the kale chips, they are so good! 🙂
Wow! This is highly educative! Thank you for reminding us how useful calcium is to the body. Sincerely,in all my years of study, I just found out that calcium can be gotten from fruit via this post, indeed I find this interesting and helpful. Thank you once again for this!
Thank you, Eva! Glad you stopped by 🙂
Wow, great article. Thanks a lot for this awesome article. This is a very useful article for us. I did not know before that there is calcium in seeds, nuts, greens, soy foods, fortified foods, and drinks, etc. but through your article, I learned that these foods are very beneficial things for our body. I did not eat these foods but after reading this article I found out how important these foods are for our bodies. I also found out that foods provide calcium to our bodies. Which I did not know before. From now on, I will always try to eat these calcium-rich foods because I also have some calcium deficiency in my body. I will tell others to eat this calcium meal who suffering from calcium deficiency in their body. This is a really useful article. I would like to share your article with others if you give me permission
Once again thank you so much.
Hello!
I’m glad that this article was of help 🙂 Yes, it’s wonderful that there are several plant-based calcium sources. And of course you can share with others. 🙂 Thank you for sharing my article!
This has given me a lot of good ideas on how to get minerals from food and what other types of plant food can be used to get the minerals I need? Do you think that these plant foods provide enough and can leave you with a sense of fullness? Ithink that nuts can be very beneficial but they you have to take it easy on eating them?
Hi Jon,
Very true, with some nuts you have to go easy, for example with almonds, Brazil nuts and cashew nuts. You can’t eat too many of them.
These plant foods can provide you with enough minerals and when you use them in filling meals they will leave you full. For example, you could use them in vegan lasagnas or pizzas, stir fries, etc.
I found your article after searching the internet to find out about the vegan diet and if should take everyday vitamins to get the necessary nutrients needed. Calcium is the biggest nutrient was afraid would be lacking if I went on a vegan diet. After reading your article I know the foods I can eat to have calcium in my system. What are some good leafy green grains that you recommend for vegan diet?
Hi Jeanette,
Collard greens, kale, Swiss chard, bok choy, and broccoli are yummy greens you can eat. They are rich in nutrients. 🙂