Getting Calcium Without Dairy: A Complete List of Plant-Based Sources

Four Categories of Plant-Based Calcium

• Soy products: Firm tofu made with gypsum (calcium sulfate) provides roughly 100 to 160 milligrams of calcium per 100 grams.
• Dark leafy greens: Chinese kale (gai lan), kale, and bok choy provide roughly 100 to 150 milligrams per 100 grams, with relatively low oxalate content.
• Nuts and seeds: Tahini and almonds stand out for calcium — tahini can reach over 1,000 milligrams per 100 grams.
• Fortified foods: Calcium-fortified soy milk and oat milk typically provide around 300 milligrams per 240 milliliters, close to cow's milk levels.

Daily Targets

The Chinese Dietary Guidelines recommend about 800 milligrams of calcium a day for adults, with higher needs — up to 1,000 to 1,200 milligrams — for adolescents and during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Postmenopausal women and older adults are likewise advised to maintain intake around 1,000 milligrams.

A Sample Combination

A cup of calcium-fortified soy milk at breakfast (about 300 mg), stir-fried gai lan with dried tofu at lunch (about 150 mg), and a cold sesame-spinach salad at dinner (about 100 mg) — combined with the nuts and other vegetables eaten incidentally throughout the day — make hitting the daily target quite achievable. The key is making sure these food groups show up consistently on your table, rather than relying on a single ingredient, and don't forget to pair calcium intake with vitamin D and regular exercise so the body can actually put it to use.