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Food

Amount

Calcium (mg)

Vegetables

Collard greens

1 cup

350

Turnip greens

1 cup

250

Kale

1 cup

180

Okra

1 cup

170

Bok choy

1 cup

160

Arame (sea vegetable)

1/2 cup

100

Broccoli

1 cup

90

Wakame (sea vegetable)

1/3 cup

77

Kelp

1/3 cup

66

Fruits

Currants, zante, dried

1 cup

86

Prunes

1 cup

75–95

Orange

1 large

74

Apricots, dried

1 cup

73

Currants, black, fresh

1 cup

62

Blackberries

1 cup

42

Fig, fresh

1 fig

18

Beans and Grains

Cornmeal, self-rising

1 cup

483

Wheat flour, enriched

1 cup

423

White beans, cooked

1 cup

130

Quinoa

1 cup

102

Oats

1 cup

84

Chickpeas

1 cup

80

Rye flour, dark

1 cup

72

Buckwheat flour

1 cup

49

Bulgur

1 cup

49

Nuts and Seeds

Almonds

1/4 cup

89

Sesame seeds, whole

1 Tbsp.

88

Walnuts, black

1 cup

76

Pecans

1 cup

70

Tahini

2 Tbsp.

64–154

Brazil nuts

1 oz.

45

Hazelnuts

1 oz.

42

Almond butter

1 Tbsp.

40

Flaxseeds

1 Tbsp.

26

Sunflower seeds

1 oz.

25

Soy Foods

Tofu (made with calcium sulfate)

4 oz.

200–325

Edamame (soybeans)

1/2 cup

197

Soy yogurt

8 oz.

150–350

Soymilk

8 oz.

80-300

Other

Enriched orange juice

1 cup

300

Blackstrap molasses

2 tsp.

80–120 mg

Source: From the USDA and manufacturer information

Avoiding foods that leach calcium

The WHO recommends half the daily calcium intake that the United States National Academy of Sciences recommends. So, if the rest of the world is consuming less calcium than we are, why do we have more osteoporosis? (I discuss this question in the nearby sidebar, “The truth about dairy products.”) The secret part of the calcium story is that calcium isn’t the only player in the bone health game. Excess acids, protein, and alcohol cause the body to leach calcium out of the bones, setting them up for fractures and osteoporosis.

For example, several well-publicized studies have shown that soda drinkers of all ages have higher rates of broken bones and fractures than people who don’t drink soda. Most sodas, both regular and diet, contain phosphorus or citric acid. The phosphorus and citric acid in these drinks create too much acidity in the body. And your body is so smart that it can balance the acid-alkaline ratio by drawing calcium (an alkaline material) out of the bones.

The human body likes to stay in a narrow range on the acid-alkaline scale. Calcium is the most plentiful mineral in the human body and it is alkaline, as opposed to acidic. A diet high in acidic foods like dairy, meat, and refined sugars, can lead to fatigue, stiffness, and canker sores. When the body gets too acidic, calcium is drawn out of the bones for an alkalinizing effect, therefore evening out the balance, but weakening the bones.

Like acids, excessive amounts of protein also affect bone health. A diet high in animal protein is high in sulfur, because amino acids contain sulfur. These sulfur-based amino acids negatively affect the body’s pH balance, causing the bones to release calcium stores so the body can become more alkaline. Protein from plants have less sulfur-based amino acids, so they’re already more alkaline and less likely to cause calcium leaching. So, if you want healthy bones, you should avoid meat and eat more green leafy veggies!

Pumping Up Your Iron Intake

Big guys in weight rooms may be the ultimate icons of strong bodies and human health, but vegans can pump some iron too with natural foods for supreme health. It’s true that iron is vitally important for energy, but it’s also a needed component of hemoglobin — the part of our blood that carries oxygen. Anemia, dangerous iron deficiency, is a major health problem all over the world that’s all too common in young women and kids.

Our bodies can take in two forms of iron — heme or nonheme — but vegans need to think about only one: nonheme iron. Heme iron is found in animal flesh foods like meat and fish. Nonheme iron is found in plant foods like vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, grains, and beans.