It’s pretty common knowledge that calcium is an important mineral for bone growth and mineralization. We also need calcium to support nerve function, for healthy muscles, and to clot blood.
But when it comes to the best sources, the amount of calcium we need, and things we do that decrease calcium absorption, we are often left in the dark.
Or worse - lied to.
Lie #1: Milk is the best source of calcium
Calcium must be acquired through food, as it is not something the body can make on its own. Although milk has been marketed to be full of calcium and good for bones, dark greens have nearly as much calcium, and sesame seeds are at the top of the list.
Here is a chart showing the amounts of calcium in some foods:
| Food | Serving | mg Calcium |
| Sesame seeds | 1/4 cup | 350 mg |
| Goat’s milk | 1 cup | 325 mg |
| Cow’s milk | 1 cup | 296 mg |
| Spinach (boiled) | 1 cup | 245 mg |
| Collard Greens (boiled) | 1 cup | 226 mg |
| Turnip Greens (boiled) | 1 cup | 197 mg |
| Blackstrap Molasses | 2 tsp | 118 mg |
| Kale (boiled) | 1 cup | 93 mg |
| Broccoli (steamed) | 1 cup | 75 mg |
| Green beans (boiled) | 1 cup | 58 mg |
| Basil, ground | 2 tsp | 63 mg |
| Cinnamon, ground | 2 tsp | 55 mg |
| Orange | 1 | 52 mg |
| Garlic | 1 oz | 51 mg |
As you can see sesame seeds are the best source of calcium and leafy greens are high on the list of calcium-rich foods. Where are the “Got Spinach” signs?
Lie #2: Oranges are a great dairy-free source of calcium
Did you read that food list? I know you did. Oranges are near the bottom of the list. Yes, they are up there, but did you notice ground cinnamon has more calcium than an orange? Marketing, people, it’s all in the marketing. Florida oranges are big business.
Lie #3: One glass of milk is all the calcium you need for the day
We see the “Got Milk?” headlines which insinuate as long as we drink one glass of milk a day, we’re set.
Wrong.
Here are the Recommended Dietary Allowances for calcium as developed by the Food and Nutrition Board at the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies:
| Ages | RDA Calcium |
| Children 12 months and younger | 200 - 250 mg |
| Children 1 - 8 years | 700 -1,000 mg |
| Children 9 - 18 years | 1,200 - 1,400 mg |
| Adults 19 - 50 years | 1,000 mg |
| Adults 51+ years | 1,200 mg |
| Pregnant, Lactating, and Postmenopausal Women | 1,500 mg |
The calcium food chart I posted under Lie #1 shows milk as having 296 mg calcium. As we can see by the RDA’s here, that is only enough if you are 12 months or younger. If you are a celebrity with a milk mustache you need more than three times as much as one glass of milk gives (some of them four or five times).
Lie #4: Nothing you consume can effect calcium absorption
Food is poo-pooed by health professionals as having very little effect on health. And the fact that foods can effect calcium absorption is not common knowledge.
These four things can decrease or inhibit calcium absorption:
- Drinking Caffeine - teas, coffee, many carbonated beverages
- Eating White Sugar
- Consuming Phosphates - commonly found in carbonated beverages
- Eating a High Protein Diet
If avoiding caffeine, white sugar, and phosphates isn’t doable for you, or if you have to be on a high protein diet, be sure you consume enough calcium-rich foods or use a calcium supplement. Which brings me to..
Lie #5: Taking large doses of calcium is effective
1,000 mg calcium supplements are not uncommon. They are more expensive than the lower doses, of course, and this is where they suck you in. You want to save money, so you purchase the 1,000 mg instead of the 500 mg not knowing you’re wasting your money anyways.
Why?
Our bodies can only absorb 500 mg’s of calcium at a time. So the other 500 mg’s is going right through you, unabsorbed. It’s simply not effective. To be effective you have to take 500 mg doses several times a day.
Oh, and don’t forget to take your calcium with magnesium and Vitamin D!
More to come on calcium supplements and milk!
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proud contributor |
| Lea Harris founded Nourishing Treasures in 2006. A mom passionate about her family's health and well-being, Lea believes education is power. Encouraging others to take baby steps in the right direction of health for their families, Lea's goal is to raise awareness of what goes into our mouths and on our bodies, providing natural alternative information that promotes health and prevents disease by using traditional foods and nature's medicine.
Lea is a Certified Health Coach graduate from Beyond Organic University, and a Certified Aromatherapist graduate from Aromahead Institute. "Like" Nourishing Treasures on Facebook, join the Nourishing Treasures Group on Facebook, follow @NourishTreasure on Twitter, and subscribe to our newsletter. You can also find me on Learning About Essential Oils forum, and Fido Fermentation Facebook group. Disclaimer: I use affiliate links wherever possible. So if you click on a link, and make a purchase, I might make a small commission, but it doesn't cost you any more. |
From all of the stuff I’ve read, the calcium in grains, nuts/seeds, and vegetables is difficult to assimilate in the body. Dairy (raw, preferably) and bone broths seem to still be the best sources of calcium in the most absorbable form for the body. I would never take a calcium supplement though … that stuff can end up causing more problems than benefit.
I will be posting on calcium in bone broths in a future post - definitely a good source of calcium!
You’re right on the calcium supplements - food is definitely the best source!
I look forward to reading your other posts!
I think the key is to avoid anything that is fortified. If it’s fortified, it’s not a real food and the nutrients are not assimilable for the body. I personally think 97% of all supplements out there are not worth a hoot. We need to get those nutrients from our food. As a matter of fact, that’s what my eBook is on
Hi Lea, good reminders. People seem to be unaware that minerals like calcium require an acidic environment in order to be digested and assimilated. That’s why calcium is added to o.j. - oranges don’t have much Ca, but it’s considered to be a good acidic medium to carry the mineral that is added to it. It’s also why in traditional cultures an acid is added to high calcium foods - citrus juice, wine, vinegar, berries, etc. to greens, brassica’s, bone broths and stews.
Minerals are locked into the cellular structure of plants and bones as well, and that is why you often see these foods cooked for long periods of time in order to break down the cell walls and make these nutrients more available to the body.
Last, many people are unaware that common edible weeds and grasses carry MUCH greater amounts of calcium and other minerals than milk, garden greens or seeds. These include dandelion greens, nettles, lambsquarters, amaranth leaves, red clover, raspberry leaf, chickweed, oatstraw and seaweeds. These foods were once an important part of traditional diet. Thanks for the great article!
Great advice!
I do have much more to share on the subject - stay tuned!
Great info, but you would love to see a followup about quality of Calcium. For instance, from what I have read, the issue with milk is that they put D2 in it, which isn’t absorbable, so we are not only D deficient but also can’t absorb that calcium. The OJ that is fortified with calcium causes issues if they don’t have the co-factors. (Ask about my hubby about that one, he suffers from kidney stones!) We consume so much milk, we should NOT have the osteoprosis and broken bone rates that we have….also nerve function etc. Our food and they sources they tell us are best sources are missing those cofactors. That I think is where the big lie is…..they tell us to drink milk, but our body can’t use it b/c of the crap vit D they put in it. I was a huge milk drinker, but my vit D came back danger low……looking forward to the rest of your info on this! THanks!!!
Excellent points! I tried to keep the main focus of this post on calcium. I think when I write about milk it will be Parts 1, 2, and 3! There is so much misinformation on milk out there.
Yea! I love milk, and it so often gets a bad rap.
I could be wrong, but aren’t poppy, dill, and celery seed all HIGHER in Ca then sesame seed?
Hi Lea!
) there’s so much in the net bad and good and I’ve bought a bottle and started taking it and then read a negative article and now in tw minds:))))
thank you for sharing! great post!
have you heard abut colloidal minerals? do you have your opinion n them?
also for th e previous comment - n artificial vitamins - i understand they are not as good to absrb for our body a the ones from natural fod - but very ften in modern cities it’s near to impossible to constantly have a supply of fresh (pref rganic) veg greens and fruits/….wd you still not tae supplements? thank you:)
I have, but I don’t know enough about them to give advice. Maybe something I can research for a future post!
As for vegetables - this is why we supplement with Tropical Traditions Antioxidant Omega-3 “Berry” Greens. I have my kids take it, too
The BIGGEST lie we’ve been told is that women should take calcium supplements to avoid osteoporosis. Only after decades of this advice did they discover women who took these supplements wound up with arteriosclerosis and the resulting heart attacks and stroke.
Calcium is good in your bones and teeth, not so good in your bloodstream. NO ONE should take calcium supplements unless their D3 level is high enough, in serum, it should run 50-80 ng/dL.
Or get calcium the old-fashioned way, from cows raised on PASTURE so their milk is full of D3 instead of fortified with D2 (which is almost useless since humans convert very little of it).
Bone broth is good too, and if you don’t skim the fat off, and it’s from pastured beef or chicken, it’s also full of D3.
Dragonfruit = 5,000 mg of calcium