Calcium
Dietary guidelines for calcium
Maintain your calcium intake
Calcium from food can help reduce oxalate levels in your body. Why? Because dietary calcium binds with oxalate in the digestive tract before it can reach the kidneys.
For most adults, the established Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) for calcium is between 1000 and 1200 mg daily. Just remember that the best source of calcium is food, such as dairy products (see table below). If you need to supplement with calcium, it is recommended that you first determine how much calcium you are getting from your daily diet, then use calcium supplements only to reach the DRI goal. For guidance on your specific calcium needs, talk to your doctor.
| CALCIUM-RICH FOODS1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| FOOD ITEM | SERVING SIZE | CALCIUM CONTENT (mg/serving) |
| Low-fat yogurt | 1 cup (8 oz) | 415† |
| Milkshake | 1 cup (8 oz) | 362 |
| Pizza, cheese* | 1/2 of 10-inch pizza | 355 |
| Eggnog, nonalcoholic | 1 cup (8 oz) | 330 |
| Low-fat yogurt with fruit | 1 cup (8 oz) | 314† |
| Sardines, canned | 1/2 cup (3-1/2 oz) | 303 |
| Calcium-fortified beverages including orange juice, soy milk, and rice milk | 1 cup (8 oz) | 300 |
| Milk (whole, low-fat, skim, or chocolate) |
1 cup (8 oz) | 300 |
| Soups made with milk* | 1 cup | 150-290 |
| Swiss cheese* | 1 slice (1 oz) | 272 |
| Red salmon | 1/2 cup (3-1/2 oz) | 259 |
| Ricotta* | 1 ounce | 257 |
| Soft-serve ice milk | 1 cup | 236 |
| Provolone* | 1 ounce | 214 |
| Cheddar cheese* | 1 slice (1 oz) | 204 |
| Pink salmon | 1/2 cup (3-1/2 oz) | 196 |
| Cheese sauce, homemade* | 1/4 cup | 178 |
| Ice cream or ice milk | 1 cup | 176 |
| American cheese* | 1 slice (1 oz) | 174 |
| Mozzarella* | 1 ounce | 147 |
| Custard or pudding | 1/2 cup | 145 |
| Mustard greens, cooked | 1/2 cup | 138 |
| Cream pie | 1 piece (1/8 pie) | 137 |
| Cottage cheese, creamed* | 1 cup (8 oz) | 136 |
*These foods have higher sodium content and may not be the best sources of daily calcium.
†Calcium content varies widely by brand.
- Bradley L, et al. General guidelines in medical management. In: Resnick MI, Pak CYC, eds. Urolithiasis: A Medical and Surgical Reference. Philadelphia, PA; WD Saunders and Company; 2009:chap 11.
