Certain Vegetables and Leafy Greens

Some vegetables are high in calcium, particularly bitter ones like cruciferous vegetables and dark leafy greens. For instance, cooked 1/2 cup (70-95 grams, depending on the variety) of spinach, bok choy, turnip, mustard, and collard greens provides 84-142 mg or 8-14% of the RDI. Kale, cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, okra, and other vegetables high in calcium are also available. Within 3-6% of the RDI are provided by them per cooked 1/2 cup (60–80 grams).

But other amounts of antinutrients such as oxalates can be found in vegetables. In your gut, oxalates may bind to calcium, making it more challenging for your body to absorb. According to studies, your body may only absorb 5% of the calcium present in some vegetables with a high oxalate content. Low- and moderate-oxalate vegetables like turnip greens, broccoli, and kale are considered better sources than higher-oxalate vegetables, such as spinach, beet greens, and Swiss chard. Oxalate levels can be decreased by 30 to 87% with boiling. Interestingly, it seems to be more efficient than steaming or baking.