14 High Calcium Foods List (Anti-Inflammatory, Dairy-free, Vegan, Free Printable PDF)

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This post shares high calcium foods that are anti-inflammatory. While milk, yogurt and cheese are all good sources of calcium, most sources of dairy in the United States are now inflammatory. Similarly, other high dietary sources of calcium, like sardines, cause indigestion and/or have other compounds, like vitamin A, that have now been linked to osteoporosis.

I’ve excluded leafy greens and canned salmon from this list due to their high vitamin A content, soy products because they’re estrogenic and molasses because of its high iron content.

As many now know, calcium supplementation is linked to a variety of health risks, including heart disease.

So what foods are safe to eat that increase calcium gently, allowing it to benefit joint health and build bone mass?

This article includes a free printable PDF of the following foods.

High Calcium Foods (Anti-Inflammatory, Dairy-free)

This list shares anti-inflammatory high calcium foods, with the amount of calcium each food provides. I have also listed any known negative facts about some of the foods, to help you choose which ones may or may not be a good fit for your unique body.

1. Finger Millet, 1 cup cooked — 344 mg!

I learned about this grain from Dr. Garrett Smith. I really like how this grain tastes, and the flour subs really well into a variety of baked goods.

For me, however, I found finger millet, also called ragi, to have too much copper, iron and manganese, so it may not be a good fit for everyone.

Here are the finger millet/ragi products I enjoyed trying:

• Organic Finger Millet
• Organic Ragi Flour

How much calcium is too much

Please go slowly if you add finger millet to your diet. That’s a lot of calcium, and it’s a good mineral to introduce gradually.

My doctor recommends slowly working towards 500 mg daily of dietary calcium, and not more than 1000 mg from all sources. Some people may need less.

2. Masa, 1 cup cooked — 160 mg

I’m a big fan of white masa and eat it daily. My favorite ways to eat it include:

• Masa Waffles
• white corn tortillas
• blue corn tortilla chips (these are excellent)
• masa porridge (use 1 part masa to 2 parts water by volume) or masa “polenta”

Here’s the white masa I buy.

3. Vaquero beans, 1 cup cooked — 130 mg

I also learned about vaquero beans from my doctor. I ordered mine from Rancho Gordo.

4. Great Northern beans, 1 cup — 120 mg

Other white beans are also high in calcium.

5. Teff, 1 cup — 123 mg

6. Amaranth, 1 cup — 116 mg

7. Figs, 3 dried — 111 mg

For those doing a low vitamin A diet, choose organic black figs, like these.

8. San Pellegrino, 160 mg per liter

I don’t personally enjoy bubbly water, but if you do, this might be a helpful source. I got this idea from Beth Martens.

9. Still mineral water, 90 mg per liter

Another idea I got from my doctor, “still” (non-sparkling) mineral water is a great way to add more calcium without food. Here’s the brand I’ve found that provides 90 mg of calcium per liter. (Most mineral waters do not have this much calcium.)

10. Almonds, 1/4 cup — 75 mg

Be careful not to eat too many nuts. I would not, for example, eat almonds everyday. They’re high in omega 6 fats, which in general we should reduce. But, almonds might be a good source of dietary calcium occasionally.

11. Oats, 1 cup cooked — 20-84mg

Unfortunately, oatmeal ranges in its calcium content quite a bit. I don’t think it can be counted on as a great source of calcium (unless you find a brand that’s high), but I do consider oats a moderate source.

One of my personal super foods, oats are gentle for most people. In addition to calcium, they provide a great source of dietary fiber as well as thiamine.

12. Dates, 3 dried — 57 mg

13. Blackberries, 1 cup — 42 mg

14. Coconut water, 30 mg per 8 ounces

I love coconut water, but it is high in manganese. I enjoy small amounts occasionally (8 to 12 ounces), but find that more than that provides too much manganese.

Lesser sources of dietary calcium

As points of reference, I find it helpful to know how much calcium other healthy food staples offer. Here are a few examples from the foods we eat regularly:

• Unfortified natural oat milk, 8 ounces — 20 to 30 mg
• Macadamia nuts, 1/4 cup — 20 to 30 mg
• Ground beef, 4 oz — 27 mg
• Ground turkey, 4 oz — 23 mg
• Apple, medium size — 8 mg
• Banana — 6 mg

Chicken has less calcium than other meats.

How to increase the bioavailability of calcium

When trying to get calcium from plants (including grains), some of it may be less bioavailable due to anti-nutrients.

If you enjoy making sourdough bread, consider including many of these ingredients in your souring process. This will reduce anti-nutrients and free up calcium for better assimilation. 

Free PDF List of High Calcium Foods

Download and print your free PDF of anti-inflammatory high calcium foods here.

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