The answer is yes! Below is a beginning guide for you to plan your meals in order to properly feed your bones. Keep in mind that after the age of 50, the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) is 1200 mg/ day for women. For men, between the ages of 51 and 70, the RDA is 1000 mg/day, and after that, it is 1200/day.
| Selected Food Sources of Calcium (source: National Institutes of Health) | |
| Food | Milligrams (mg) per serving |
| Yogurt, plain, low fat, 8 ounces | 415 |
| Orange juice, calcium fortified, 1 cup | 349 |
| Mozzarella, part skim, 1.5 ounces | 333 |
| Sardines, canned in oil, with bones, 3 ounces | 325 |
| Cheddar cheese, 1.5 ounces | 307 |
| Milk, nonfat, 1 cup** | 299 |
| Soymilk, calcium fortified, 1 cup | 299 |
| Milk, reduced fat (2% milk fat), 1 cup | 293 |
| Milk, buttermilk, lowfat, 1 cup | 284 |
| Milk, whole (3.25% milk fat), 1 cup | 276 |
| Yogurt, fruit, low fat, 6 ounces | 258 |
| Tofu, firm, made with calcium sulfate, ½ cup*** | 253 |
| Salmon, pink, canned, solids with bone, 3 ounces | 181 |
| Cottage cheese, 1% milk fat, 1 cup | 138 |
| Tofu, soft, made with calcium sulfate, ½ cup*** | 138 |
| Breakfast cereals, fortified with 10% of the DV for calcium, 1 seving | 130 |
| Frozen yogurt, vanilla, soft serve, ½ cup | 103 |
| Turnip greens, fresh, boiled, ½ cup | 99 |
| Kale, fresh, cooked, 1 cup | 94 |
| Ice cream, vanilla, ½ cup | 84 |
| Chia seeds, 1 tablespoon | 76 |
| Chinese cabbage (bok choi), raw, shredded, 1 cup | 74 |
| Bread, white, 1 slice | 73 |
| Tortilla, corn, one, 6” diameter | 46 |
| Tortilla, flour, one, 6” diameter | 32 |
| Sour cream, reduced fat, 2 tablespoons | 31 |
| Bread, whole-wheat, 1 slice | 30 |
| Kale, raw, chopped, 1 cup | 24 |
| Broccoli, raw, ½ cup | 21 |
| Cream cheese, regular, 1 tablespoon | 14 |
Using this list from the NIH, here are some ideas:
Sample breakfast:
- 8 oz. plain yogurt = 415 mg
- ½ c. blueberries (5 mg) *
- ½ tbs. chia seeds = 38 mg
- Total = 458 mg
Sample lunch:
- 1 slice of whole-wheat toast with 1 tbs cream cheese = 44 mg
- 2 figs = 65 mg
- 1 c. fortified orange juice = 349 mg
- Total = 458 mg
Sample dinner:
- 3 oz. salmon = 181 mg
- 1 c. cooked brown rice = 20 mg *
- 1 c. cooked broccoli = 42mg
- 1.5 oz. cheddar cheese (melt over broccoli) = 307 mg
- Total = 550 mg
* not included in the NIH list since the amount is so small
There are so many more possibilities! Get creative by adding in berries, all kinds of colorful veggies, nuts and seeds. Make a whole wheat English muffin pizza with all kinds of toppings, or a smoothie with kefir, berries, a banana, and chia seeds – the list is endless.
I highly recommend checking out Nancy Robinson’s Food 4 Osteoporosis book and/or her website:
http://www.food4osteoporosis.com
Another good source: https://www.osteoporosis.foundation/patients/prevention/calcium-content-of-common-foods