10 surprising nondairy sources of calcium

Calcium is an essential part of your diet.

For most people, milk and dairy products provide the calcium you need. But if you choose not to eat or drink dairy — or can't because of lactose intolerance — you do have other options.

Many foods can help you get the calcium you need in your diet. And how much is that, exactly? Depending on your age and sex, the recommended dietary allowance for adults is between 1,000 and 1,200 milligrams (mg) a day.

If you're looking for more ways to add this calcium to your diet, consider the foods below — listed with serving size and amount of calcium. For comparison, keep in mind that 8 ounces (oz.) of skim milk contains 300 mg of calcium.

• Broccoli rabe (8 oz. provides 360 mg)
• Collard greens, frozen (8 oz. provides 360 mg)
• Sardines, canned with bones (3 oz. provides 325 mg)
• Fortified almond, rice or soy milk (8 oz. provides 300 mg)
• Fortified orange juice (8 oz. provides 300 mg)
• Waffle, frozen and fortified (2 pieces provides 200 mg)
• Kale, frozen (8 oz. provides 180 mg)
• Salmon, canned with bones (3 oz. provides 180 mg)
• Beans, baked and canned (4 oz. provides 160 mg)
• Shrimp, canned (3 oz. provides 125 mg)

Due to multiple factors, the calcium content in most foods varies. Check the nutrition label to determine how much calcium is in a particular item.

And here's a bonus tip: Let's say the label on a food or beverage states that it provides 30% of your daily calcium requirement. You can add a zero to find out how much that is in milligrams. So, in this example, 30% of your daily calcium requirement would equal 300 mg of calcium.