10 Vegan Sources of Calcium Better Than Cow’s Milk

Cow’s milk, cheese, and other dairy products are aggressively marketed as essential for strong bones—but this message doesn’t hold up under scientific scrutiny. Dairy is not necessary for bone health, and mounting evidence shows that relying on it may undermine calcium absorption rather than support it.

Cows are intelligent, social individuals with rich emotional lives. They form close bonds with their calves, mourn the loss of loved ones, and can remember and recognize dozens of other cows in their herd. Yet in the dairy industry, these gentle beings are repeatedly impregnated and separated from their babies so that humans can take the milk meant for them. Research also shows that people who eat or drink dairy products retain less calcium than those who get their calcium from vegetables.

A Harvard Nurses’ Health Study found that people who drank two or more glasses of milk a day had a higher risk of broken hips and arms than those who drank one or fewer.

To strengthen your bones while respecting the lives of these remarkable animals, try these vegan sources of calcium, which are readily available and support bone health.

1. Black-Eyed Peas

Dish up a side of 1 cup of these peas alongside your favorite lunch for 370 mg of calcium.

2. Sesame Seeds

Snack on 2 ounces of these seeds for 560 mg of calcium. Tahini, a ground sesame-seed paste, is a main ingredient in hummus, so continue snacking!

3. Fortified Plant Milks (Soy, Almond, Oat, Cashew, Rice, Pea)

Many fortified plant milks deliver 300 to 450 milligrams of calcium per 8-ounce glass. Varieties made from soy, almonds, oats, cashews, rice, and peas are widely available and often fortified with vitamin D to aid absorption, making them an easy, dairy-free way to support bone health—without relying on milk taken from cows.

 4. Kale

A crisp, refreshing, and fiber-packed 3.5-cup chopped kale salad will give you 305 mg of calcium. If you’re not in the mood for salad, try one of these other kale recipes.

5. Turnip Greens

Just 1.5 cups of these cooked greens supply just short of 300 mg of calcium.

6. Seaweed

Depending on the type of seaweed, it can supply up to 10 times more calcium than milk. The calcium in seaweed is also considered to be more bioavailable than that of most other sources, meaning more of it will be absorbed into your body.

7. White Beans

Two cups will give you 382 mg of calcium and a significant amount of iron. Try them mashed into a white bean hummus or in this delicious white bean alfredo sauce.

8. Blackstrap Molasses

Two tablespoons supply 344 mg of calcium. Try replacing the maple syrup on some delicious vegan pancakes or the sweetener in your coffee for a calcium boost.

9.  Fortified Orange Juice

A single 8-ounce serving can contain as much as 500 mg of calcium, which is 50 percent of the recommended daily allowance.

10. Firm Tofu

In addition to being full of protein, half a cup of tofu can supply as much as 861 mg, or 86 percent, of the RDA of calcium. Try making a delicious tofu scramble, which, along with a glass of orange juice, will supply your complete RDA of calcium.

It’s been said that when you become a vegan, everyone around you suddenly becomes a nutrition expert, but in response to the inevitable “If you’re vegan, where do you get your ___?” questions, PETA’s got you covered with more quality nutrition lists:

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