11 Non-Diary Calcium Rich Vegan Foods

Usually, milk and milk-based products are considered to be the best sources of calcium. Still, there are plenty of options for vegan sources of calcium for people who are on a vegan diet or those who are lactose intolerant. 

Likewise, some examples of calcium-rich vegan foods include seeds, soy products, leafy greens, beans, peas and lentils, almonds, dried figs, oranges, and fortified food. Apart from this, the best vegetables for calcium include broccoli and kale.

Why Calcium Is Important for The Body? 

In order to function properly, your body needs nutrients like vitamins and minerals in specific quantities. Among these, the mineral that is required by your body in the maximum amount is calcium. This is because calcium, whether it comes from vegan sources of calcium, or non-vegetarian and milk-based sources of calcium, plays a crucial role in—

• Bones and Teeth Health: Building and maintaining strong and healthy bones and teeth.
• Brain Functioning: Enhancing the communication between your brain and other parts of the body for the overall smooth functioning of all bodily functions.
• Muscles and Heart Health: High-calcium foods keep your muscles and heart healthy. Thus, calcium is important for good cardiovascular functioning as well as efficient muscle movement. ²

How Much Calcium Do You Need Daily? 

The amount of calcium a person needs daily depends on their age as well as certain other factors that we have mentioned below: 

1. Infants (0-1 year)

• Less than 6 months: If your child is less than 6 months of age, then he or she only needs a maximum of 200 mg (milligrams) of calcium per day.  
• Between 7 months to 1 year: For children aged between 7 months to 1 year, the daily calcium requirement is 260 milligrams.

2. Children And Teenagers (1-18 years)

• Toddlers (1 to 3 years): 700 milligrams of calcium daily
• Children (4 to 8 years): 1,000 milligrams of calcium daily 
• Pre-Teens and Teenagers (9 to 18 years): Children who are about to hit puberty and teenagers together require 1,300 milligrams of calcium daily 

3. Adults 

• 19 to 50 years: 1,000 milligrams of calcium daily 
• 51–70 years:  Women above the age of 50 need 1,200 milligrams of calcium daily, while men above the age of 50 and below the age of 70 years need 1,000 milligrams of calcium daily.
• Adults more than 71 years:  These are the older adults whose body requires high amounts of calcium because of ageing. Hence, they should have at least 1,200 milligrams of calcium every day.

4. Pregnant and Lactating women

Pregnant women and those women who are breastfeeding need high amounts of calcium in their diet. Hence, their daily requirement for calcium is between 1,000 mg to 1,300 mg. However, the exact calcium requirement will still depend on the age of the woman. 

The 11 Non-Dairy Calcium-Rich Foods for Vegans 

Here is a list of 11 of the best vegan sources of calcium that you can add to your plant-based diet—

1. Poppy, Sesame and Celery Seeds  

One of the best and easiest ways to get more calcium in a plant-based diet is to eat seeds. This is because seeds are not only excellent calcium-rich vegan foods, but they also contain other essential nutrients like—

• Protein
• Healthy fats
• Iron
• Copper 
• Manganese

Hence, the best seeds that you can eat to get calcium on a vegan diet include—

• Poppy Seeds: 9 grams of poppy seeds has 127 milligrams of calcium.
• Sesame Seeds: 9 grams of sesame seeds provide 7% of the daily value (DV) for calcium
• Chia Seeds 
• Celery Seeds  

2. Chia Seeds 

Among seeds, chia seed's calcium content is the highest, making them one of the healthiest non-dairy calcium foods. Apart from this, chia seeds also contain omega-3 fatty acids (plant-based), which makes them one of the most nutritious vegan sources of calcium in the seed category. ³

3. Best Vegetables for Calcium 

If you are looking for a variety of vegan sources of calcium, then vegetables are another great option for the best calcium-rich vegan foods. They can easily provide the right quantities of calcium in a plant-based diet.

Some nutritious examples of the best vegetables for calcium include—

• Broccoli:  One cup of raw broccoli can provide as much as 35 mg of calcium. This quantity doubles up to 76 mg of calcium if you consume cooked broccoli. 
• White cabbage:  Every cup of Chinese cabbage, commonly called Bok Choy or pak-choi, contains 74 mg of calcium. 

4. Leafy Greens for Calcium 

Leafy greens' calcium content is also high. So, for people looking for high calcium in a plant-based diet, leafy green vegetables are another excellent vegan source of calcium.

The best calcium-rich vegan foods in this category include spinach and other best vegetables for calcium like—

• Cooked collard greens: 268 mg of calcium in 1 cup 
• Cooked kale: 177 mg of calcium in 1 cup 

5. Soybeans and Soy Foods

Dried and roasted soybeans contain 130 mg of calcium. The products that are made from soybeans are called soy products or soy foods. Hence, when looking for good vegan sources of calcium in a plant-based diet, soy products are one of the tastiest and healthiest calcium-rich vegan foods.  

Hence, here are some of the best examples of soy-based, high-calcium foods for vegans—

• Tofu:  Tofu calcium levels provide more than 66% of the daily value of calcium when taken 126 grams of it (that equals almost half a cup of tofu) 
• Edamame: Cooked edamame delivers up to 8% of your daily requirement (DV) of calcium. 
• Soy milk
• Miso
• Tempeh ⁴

6. Beans, Peas and Lentils 

Similar to leafy greens and vegetables, beans are also outstanding vegan sources of calcium. They are packed with—

• Fibre
• Protein
• Magnesium
• Potassium
• Iron
• Zinc
• Other vital nutrients

Examples of the beans that make excellent non-dairy calcium sources include—

• Winged beans: 172 grams of cooked winged beans provide 244 milligrams of calcium
• White beans: 179 grams of white beans fulfil 12% of your daily calcium requirement (daily value)

Similarly, other types of lentils and beans can offer somewhere around 3% to 4% of the daily value when consumed in 175 grams.

7. Almonds

In the nuts category, almonds are the best vegan sources of calcium. These calcium-rich vegan foods also contain—

• Healthy fats
• Protein
• Vitamin E
• Magnesium
• Manganese

Taking 23 almonds (that equals almost 28 grams of almonds) every day can easily fulfil 6% of your daily calcium requirement. 

8. Amaranth 

The addition of amaranth to meet your daily intake of calcium in a plant-based diet is an excellent way to stay away from calcium deficiency if you are a vegan. But what makes amaranth one of the best non-dairy calcium sources? Amaranth is a calcium-rich pseudocereal that also contains other important nutrients like—

• Folate
• Manganese
• Magnesium
• Phosphorus
• Iron
• Vitamin A
• Vitamin C

It is considered one of the healthiest and the best vegan sources of calcium because—

• Consuming 246 grams (1 cup) of amaranth grain (cooked) can give you 116 milligrams of calcium per day.
• Apart from this, cooked amaranth leaves deliver up to 132 grams of calcium (21% of the daily value of calcium) easily.

9. Oranges 

Oranges are tasty and juicy calcium-rich vegan foods that can provide you with not just calcium but also an abundance of nutrients, including vitamin C and—

• Protein
• Carbohydrates
• Fibre
• Folate

Likewise, one whole orange can deliver up to 5% of the daily value of calcium. Moreover, since oranges are low in calories and high in fibre, they are one of the best vegan calcium sources among fruits. ⁵

10. Dried Figs 

Among fruit-based vegan sources of calcium, dried figs are the best-dried fruits containing the maximum quantity of calcium. 

Likewise, eating 2 figs can deliver up to 27 mg of calcium to your body. Apart from this, dried figs also offer a lot of other benefits that make them great for getting calcium in a plant-based diet. These include—

• Dried figs act as a natural sweetener. Hence, they can be used in place of sugar in a wide variety of dishes. This makes them a healthier alternative, which plays an important role in your overall health in the long run. 
• They contain plenty of fibre as well as antioxidants.
• 40 grams of figs offer up to 5% of your daily requirement of calcium.

Plus, along with being one of the healthiest calcium-rich vegan foods, figs are also packed with other nutrients that support bone health, such as—

• Potassium
• Vitamin K

11. Fortified Foods and Drinks  

Apart from consuming organic, high-calcium foods for vegans, to get calcium on a vegan diet, one can also add fortified foods and drinks. Fortified foods and drinks refer to commercially prepared vegan sources of calcium that are easily available in the market. 

For example, if you are lactose intolerant, you can replace regular cow milk with soy milk, which is a fortified drink that contains added calcium. 237 ml of soy milk can deliver up to 23% of the daily value of calcium.  

The best part is that soy milk is one of the best non-dairy calcium sources, which is very similar to cow milk because it has 6 grams of extra protein. Hence, nutritionally, it is the most beneficial fortified drink, especially for calcium in a plant-based diet. 

Other good options for the best vegan calcium sources in the case of fortified foods include—

• Orange juice
• Cereals
• Flour 
• Cornmeal

Sometimes, the vegan sources of calcium in your plant-based diet may not be able to fulfil your calcium needs. In such cases, you can consider an expert to get suggestions for vegan calcium supplements. 

Tips For Maximising Calcium Absorption on A Vegan Diet 

Including vegan sources of calcium and vegan calcium supplements in your everyday diet is important. But what's more important is that you utilise the right methods to maximise your calcium absorption from non-dairy calcium foods. 

Hence, here are some tips that can help you get the most out of a vegan diet—

• Add at least 5 portions of fresh fruits and vegetables to your everyday diet.
• While choosing fortified alternatives for dairy products, make sure that you buy only low-fat and low-sugar options.
• Have nuts and seeds regularly in your diet ⁶

Conclusion 

People of all ages and genders require good calcium content in their daily diet. However, people who are lactose intolerant, allergic to cow milk, or follow a plant-based diet may find it difficult to find the best vegan calcium sources easily. In such cases, chia seeds, tofu, soy milk, broccoli, and leafy greens like collard greens, almonds, amaranth, and figs are excellent calcium-rich vegan foods. You can also opt for vegan calcium supplements to complete your daily calcium requirement.