Where do vegans get calcium? Finding vegan sources of calcium is actually pretty easy, but things get a little tricky when it comes to how well its absorbed. It all comes down to where you get it from and how you consume it.
Calcium is best known for building and maintaining strong bones and teeth. Less famously, calcium assists in muscle function, blood vessel contraction, and blood clotting.(1)
Calcium deficiency can cause a condition called hypocalcemia. Symptoms of calcium deficiency include weak nails, slow hair growth, fragile skin, seizures, memory loss, hallucinations, numbness and tingling.(1)
Effects of long-term calcium deficiency include eye damage, abnormal heartbeat, osteoporosis, increased risk of bone fracture, and even death.(1)
Daily Recommendations
Nutritional recommendations for calcium and other nutrients are developed by the National Academy of Medicine (formerly the Institute of Medicine) to plan and assess the nutrient intakes of healthy people.
Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for Calcium:
| Age | Male | Female | Pregnant | Lactating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–6 months* | 200 mg | 200 mg | ||
| 7–12 months* | 260 mg | 260 mg | ||
| 1–3 years | 700 mg | 700 mg | ||
| 4–8 years | 1,000 mg | 1,000 mg | ||
| 9–13 years | 1,300 mg | 1,300 mg | ||
| 14–18 years | 1,300 mg | 1,300 mg | 1,300 mg | 1,300 mg |
| 19–50 years | 1,000 mg | 1,000 mg | 1,000 mg | 1,000 mg |
| 51–70 years | 1,000 mg | 1,200 mg | ||
| 71+ years | 1,200 mg | 1,200 mg |
Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA): average daily intake of a nutrient that’s sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of nearly all (97%–98%) healthy people.
Adequate Intake (AI): approximate intake assumed to be nutritionally adequate based on limited research, though still not enough evidence to develop an RDA.
Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL): maximum daily intake that’s unlikely to cause adverse health effects.
The daily tolerable upper intake levels for calcium are 3,000 mg for adolescents, 2,500 mg for adults, and 2,000 mg for adults over 50.
Calcium toxicity from food is rare and is more often found in excessive intakes of calcium from supplements.
Symptoms of calcium toxicity include constipation, calcium buildup in soft tissues, kidney stones, hypercalcemia, stomach pain, nausea, and depression.
How to Absorb More Calcium on a Vegan Diet
You can absorb more calcium by eating a little at a time throughout the day rather than trying to consume it all in one sitting. This is because more calcium is absorbed when your body’s calcium reserves are short and less is absorbed when your reserves are full.
Calcium absorption is highest in doses under 500 mg.
Calcium & Oxalates
Oxalates are naturally occurring compounds that bind to calcium, making some of it unavailable to your body. Unfortunately for vegans, pretty much all plant foods contain oxalates.
Some high-calcium foods like spinach and almonds are high in oxalates as well, which means that despite those foods being high in calcium, your body isn’t able to actually use most of it.
Some other high-oxalate foods are tea, beer, chocolate, Swiss chard, beets, peanuts, and cashews.
Don’t worry, there are still plenty of low-oxalate foods for vegans to choose from.
Calcium & Vitamin D
You can also increase your calcium absorption by getting enough vitamin D. You can do this by making sure you get at least 15 minutes of sun exposure every day and by consuming foods fortified with vitamin D.
Contrary to what many people believe, dairy doesn’t naturally contain significant amounts of vitamin D. Dairy products that contain vitamin D have been fortified, which means that vitamin D was added to those products.(2) The vitamin D used in fortified non-dairy products is just as good as the vitamin D used to fortify dairy products.
There are different types of vitamin D and not all of them are vegan. I recommend reading my page on vitamin D to find out everything you need to know about the different types of vitamin D how to get enough of it on a vegan diet.
Best Vegan Sources of Calcium
Oxalates are abundant in plant foods, but there are some low-oxalate sources of calcium available to vegans.
Top vegan sources of low-oxalate, high-calcium foods:
- Fortified non-dairy products
- Tofu (calcium-set)
- Kale
- Bok choy
- Mustard greens
- Turnip greens
- Watercress
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Collards
- Chia seeds
- Poppy seeds
- Sesame seeds
- Edamame
- Kidney beans
- Chickpeas
Fortified foods are the only vegan foods that contain significant amounts of both calcium and vitamin D. They often have the same amount of calcium and vitamin D as fortified dairy products, sometimes more.
Vegan foods high in both calcium and vitamin D are:
- Calcium-set tofu
- Fortified non-dairy milk
- Fortified non-dairy yogurt
Vegans & Calcium Supplements
Mild to moderate calcium deficiencies are common among both vegans and non-vegans. Most people should consider taking at least a low-dose calcium supplement in addition to calcium from their diet.
People who may benefit from a regular calcium supplement include people with a high protein diet; people with a high sodium diet; people with a digestive disorder that interferes with their body’s absorption of calcium; people who are being treated with corticosteroids over a long period of time; and people with osteoporosis.
Calcium is best absorbed a little at a time, so splitting a calcium supplement in half and taking the first half in the morning and the second half at night will result in your body absorbing more of it than taking the whole tablet at one time.
Types of Calcium Supplements
The two most common forms of calcium in supplements are calcium carbonate and calcium citrate.(3)
Calcium carbonate is more common and relatively inexpensive compared to calcium citrate and can cause gastrointestinal side effects in some people, including gas, bloating, and constipation. It’s better absorbed when taken with food.
Calcium citrate is generally superior to calcium carbonate because it doesn’t rely on stomach acid for absorption, which means it’s easily absorbed with or without food and is less likely to cause the gastrointestinal side effects associated with calcium carbonate.
Disclaimer: The contents of this website are for educational purposes and are not intended to offer personal medical advice. To make sure your diet is providing you with the correct amount of nutrients your body needs, be sure to consult a nutrition specialist (ie: registered dietitian) with expertise in vegan diets.
Related:
- Vegan Nutrition 101
- Vegan Vitamin D Sources
- Vegan Phosphorus Sources (Coming soon!)
- Vegan Vitamin B12 Sources
- Vegan Protein Sources
- Vegan-Friendly Food From Around the World