Seeds High in Calcium (Table of All Common Seeds)

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Many people struggle to get enough calcium.

A deficit, particularly as we get older, can lead to weak bones and a wide variety of health issues.

Luckily, seeds are not only a great source of many vitamins, but calcium as well.

How Much Calcium is in Seeds?

Before we look at the amount of calcium in various seeds, let’s put the data in context.

The recommended amount of calcium for most adults is about 1,000 mg per day

Note that while it’s difficult, you can get too much calcium and it can cause healthy issues. The tolerable upper limit is around 2,500 mg of calcium per day.

Below is a table of the amount of calcium in all the most common seeds in a 100 gram serving. For reference, most people have servings of 25-50 grams of seeds.

Food Calcium (mg) Calcium (%RDA)
Sesame seeds 975.00 97.50
Chia seeds 630.00 63.00
Flaxseed 255.00 25.00
Sunflower seeds 78.57 7.86
Hemp seeds 70.00 7.00
Pumpkin seeds 54.69 5.47

There’s a large difference between the seeds at the top and bottom of this list.

Which Seeds Are Highest in Calcium?

seeds variety

Sesame seeds have the most calcium with 975 mg per 100 gram serving, while chia seeds are not far behind with 630 mg.

With a large serving of either of these seeds, it’s possible to meet the RDA of calcium.

Flax seeds also have a good amount of calcium (255 mg per serving), but the other seeds only contribute a small amount towards the RDA.

Which Seeds Are Lowest in Calcium?

Sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, and pumpkin seeds are by far the lowest seeds in terms of calcium.

All of them have less than 10% of the RDA per 100 gram serving. Since most people eat seeds in servings smaller than 100 grams, they won’t make up a significant amount of the average person’s calcium intake.

Are Seeds A Good Source of Calcium Compared to Other Plants?

If we look at the top plant-based sources of calcium, seeds make up most of the top spots per 100 gram serving.

For example, the top 5 on that list for calcium are:

  • Sesame seeds – 975 mg
  • Chia seeds – 630 mg
  • Almonds – 269 mg
  • Flaxseed – 257 mg
  • Kale – 255 mg

Aside from seeds, certain leafy greens and nuts are also high in calcium.

If you sort the data by the amount of calcium per 100 calories, seeds still score alright, but leafy greens like kale and spinach rank at the top.

One last thing that makes seeds a good choice for a plant-based calcium source is that leafy greens in particular are high in oxalates.

Oxalates are antinutrients that reduce the absorption of particular minerals – specifically calcium. So even though leafy greens have more calcium per 100 calories, the amount actually absorbed is likely comparable to the amount from seeds.

About the author

Dale Cudmore

Your friendly neighborhood vegan from Toronto. I've spent over 6 years as a freelance nutrition writer and researcher. During this time, I've tested over 50 vegan protein powders, and over 100 other types of vegan supplements.