Nutrient glossary
What is calcium?
Calcium is the mineral that builds bone and teeth and keeps muscles, nerves and blood clotting working.
Reviewed 20 July 2026. General information, not medical advice.
The short version
Almost all of your calcium lives in your skeleton, which acts as a bank: when intake is short, the body withdraws from bone to keep blood levels steady. Enough calcium through adulthood, alongside vitamin D and resistance exercise, is how you defend bone density for later life.
Dairy is the dense, well-absorbed source, and tofu set with calcium, tinned sardines with bones, fortified plant milks and leafy greens carry it into any eating pattern.
Daily reference
700 mg a day
The adult reference is 700 mg a day. Absorption depends on vitamin D, so the two are best thought about together.
This is the fixed adult reference used across these pages. In the app, your amount adjusts to your body and way of eating.
Best food sources of calcium
Full ranking| Food | Per serving | Per 100g |
|---|---|---|
| Almond Milk | 460 mg | 184 mg |
| Tofu (firm) | 441 mg | 350 mg |
| Pizza (cheese) | 402 mg | 188 mg |
| Sardines (canned) | 351 mg | 382 mg |
| Soy Milk | 310 mg | 124 mg |
| Skimmed Milk | 305 mg | 122 mg |
| Mozzarella | 303 mg | 505 mg |
| Milk (semi-skimmed) | 300 mg | 120 mg |
Common questions
- How do I get calcium without dairy?
- Calcium-set tofu, fortified plant milks, tinned sardines, kale and almonds together cover the 700 mg reference comfortably.
- Do calcium supplements strengthen bones?
- Food-first is the evidence-based route. Supplements help when intake is genuinely low, but exceeding needs adds no extra bone.