Everyone knows how important calcium is for the body. However, there are a lot of misconceptions.
First, it’s important to know is that you can’t always absorb all of the calcium that you consume. The least absorbable is calcium carbonate , which is also most commonly used in supplements. I’ve seen situations where people are taking high amounts of calcium but only absorbing 15 percent. (The most absorbable form of calcium is calcium lactate.)
No one should ever take more calcium than the body needs. When you take more than needed, it can cause problems or the body just eliminates it. So, you’re either wasting money or creating health problems, or both.
Many people believe that milk is one of the best sources of calcium. However when milk is pasteurized, proteins are destroyed that help you absorb calcium. In general, the more heavily processed a food is, the less beneficial it is for your body.
Some foods are more nutritious cooked and some are more nutritious raw—including the amount and absorption of calcium. I work with patients to use food and supplements to get 1,000 mg of calcium/day.
Below is a list of foods and the amount of calcium in each (mg).
448 Low fat yogurt with 1 cup of fruit
380 3.5 oz canned salmon with bones
350 2 Tbl blackstrap molasses
300 1 cup of skim milk
274 1 cup soft-serve ice milk
272 1 oz Swiss cheese
240 1 cup frozen yogurt
240 3.5 oz sardines with bones
204 1 oz cheddar cheese
176 1 cup vanilla ice cream
174 ½ cup cooked rhubarb
155 1 cup of 2% cottage cheese
140 ½ cooked (previously frozen) spinach
119 ½ cup soy nuts
120 ½ cup collard greens
92 ½ cup almonds
64 ½ navy or baked beans
51 ½ mustard greens
52 1 medium orange
50 ½ cup okra
51 3 oz baked halibut
42 ½ cup cooked fresh broccoli