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Calcium Content of Select Foods

The charts below list the amount of calcium found in a serving of select foods according to three different sources. Each chart presents the absolute calcium content of various foods, listed from highest to lowest, without qualifying the body's ability to use the calcium from those foods. All totals are approximate, as calcium content may vary slightly depending on the particular brand or method of preparation.

  1. United States Department of Agriculture
  2. United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  3. Frank Greer, M.D. and Nancy Krebs, M.D.

A. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 18

Food Weight (g) Common Measure Calcium Content per Measure (mg)
1. Cereals ready-to-eat, GENERAL MILLS, Whole Grain TOTAL 30 3/4 cup 1104
2. Yogurt, plain, skim milk 227 8-ounce container 452
3. Fast foods, taco 263 1 large 339
4. Fish, sardine, Atlantic, canned in oil, drained solids with bone 85.05 3 ounces 325
5. Milk, lowfat, fluid, 1% milkfat, with added vitamin A 244 1 cup 290
6. Turnip greens, frozen, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt 164 1 cup 249
7. Cheese, cheddar 28.35 1 ounce 204
8. Sandwiches and burgers, cheeseburger, regular, single meat patty, plain 102 1 sandwich 141
9. Pizza, meat and vegetable, regular crust, frozen 79 1 serving 120
10. Fast foods, onion rings, breaded and fried 83 8 - 9 rings 73
Source: USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 18 218KB 7/25/05

B. United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Bone Health Campaign List of Foods with Calcium

Food Portion Calcium Content (mg) Calcium Content (% of Daily Value*)
1. American Cheese 2 ounces 348 35%
2. Milk (fat free or low fat) 1 cup 300 30%
3. Orange juice with added calcium 1 cup 300 30%
4. Soy beverage with added calcium 1 cup 250 - 300 25 - 30%
5. Tofu (with calcium sulfate on ingredient list) 1/2 cup 204 20%
6. Macaroni and cheese 1/2 cup 180 20%
7. English muffin, whole wheat 1 175 20%
8. Kale, boiled 1/2 cup 90 10%
9. Ice Cream 1/2 cup 84 8%
10. Cottage cheese, 1% fat 1/2 cup 69 6%
Source: CDC National Bone Health Campaign List of Foods with Calcium 14KB accessed on 5/7/07
Notes:
* The Daily Value, the recommended daily intake of a nutrient, for calcium is 1,000 mg. Daily Value numbers are rounded.

C. Frank Greer. M.D. and Nancy Krebs, M.D., "Optimizing Bone Health and Calcium Intakes of Infants, Children, and Adolescents," Pediatrics 117:578-585

Food Serving Size Calcium Content (mg) Number of Servings to Equal Calcium Content in 1 Cup of Low-Fat Milk
1. Calcium-fortified soy milk 1 cup (240 mL) 200 - 500 0.5 - 1.3
2. Cheese, ricotta, part skim milk 1/2 cup (124 g) 337 0.7
3. Collards, cooked, boiled, drained 1 cup, chopped (190 g) 266 1.0
4. Whole milk 1 cup (244 g) 246 1.0
5. Salmon, sockeye canned, drained, with bones 3 ounces (85 g) 203 1.3
6. Baked beans, canned 1 cup (253 g) 127 2.1
7. Frozen yogurt, vanilla, soft serve 1/2 cup (72 g) 103 2.6
8. Tomatoes, canned, stewed 1 cup (255 g) 87 3.0
9. Instant oatmeal, fortified, plain, prepared with water 1/2 cup (117 g) 65 4.1
10. Broccoli, cooked 1 cup, chopped (156 g) 62 4.3
Source: Frank Greer and Nancy Krebs "Optimizing Bone Health and Calcium Intakes of Infants, Children, and Adolescents," Pediatrics 117:578-585, February 2006

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