Nuts and seeds high in calcium (per serving)
12 nuts and seeds ranked by calcium per common serving, from USDA FoodData Central. Seeds, sesame seeds leads with 280 mg per 1 oz (22% of the Daily Value), followed by Seeds, chia seeds (169 mg) and Seeds, sesame butter (128 mg).
Top 10 at a glance
Top 10 nuts and seeds highest in calcium
- Seeds, sesame seeds (whole, roasted and toasted)1 oz (28 g) · 160 kcal280 mg22% DV
- Seeds, chia seeds (dried)1 oz (28 g) · 138 kcal169 mg13% DV
- Seeds, sesame butter (tahini, from roasted and toasted kernels (most common type))2 tbsp (30 g) · 178 kcal128 mg9.8% DV
- Nuts, almond butter (plain, without salt added)2 tbsp (32 g) · 196 kcal84 mg6.5% DV
- Nuts, almonds (oil roasted, without salt added)1 oz (22 whole kernels) (28 g) · 172 kcal82 mg6.3% DV
- Seeds, flaxseed1 oz (28 g) · 151 kcal65 mg5% DV
- Nuts, brazilnuts (dried, unblanched)1 oz (6 kernels) (28 g) · 187 kcal45 mg3.5% DV
- Nuts, hazelnuts or filberts (blanched)1 oz (28 g) · 178 kcal42 mg3.2% DV
- Nuts, pilinuts (dried)1 oz (15 kernels) (28 g) · 204 kcal41 mg3.2% DV
- Seeds, sesame seed kernels (toasted, without salt added (decorticated))1 oz (28 g) · 161 kcal37 mg2.9% DV
All 12 nuts and seeds ranked
Sort any column. Serving sizes are USDA household measures (a cup, a medium fruit, 3 oz of cooked meat or fish, 1 oz of nuts or cheese). %DV is based on the FDA Daily Value of 1,300 mg.
| # | Food | Serving | Calcium (mg) | % Daily Value | Per 100 g | kcal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seeds, sesame seeds (whole, roasted and toasted) | 1 oz (28 g) | 280 | 989 | 160 | |
| 2 | Seeds, chia seeds (dried) | 1 oz (28 g) | 169 | 595 | 138 | |
| 3 | Seeds, sesame butter (tahini, from roasted and toasted kernels (most common type)) | 2 tbsp (30 g) | 128 | 426 | 178 | |
| 4 | Nuts, almond butter (plain, without salt added) | 2 tbsp (32 g) | 84 | 264 | 196 | |
| 5 | Nuts, almonds (oil roasted, without salt added) | 1 oz (22 whole kernels) (28 g) | 82 | 291 | 172 | |
| 6 | Seeds, flaxseed | 1 oz (28 g) | 65 | 230 | 151 | |
| 7 | Nuts, brazilnuts (dried, unblanched) | 1 oz (6 kernels) (28 g) | 45 | 160 | 187 | |
| 8 | Nuts, hazelnuts or filberts (blanched) | 1 oz (28 g) | 42 | 149 | 178 | |
| 9 | Nuts, pilinuts (dried) | 1 oz (15 kernels) (28 g) | 41 | 145 | 204 | |
| 10 | Seeds, sesame seed kernels (toasted, without salt added (decorticated)) | 1 oz (28 g) | 37 | 131 | 161 | |
| 11 | Nuts, pistachio nuts (raw) | 1 oz (49 kernels) (28 g) | 33 | 117 | 159 | |
| 12 | Seeds, sunflower seed kernels (dried) | 1 oz (28 g) | 33 | 116 | 166 |
Calcium in specific foods
How this list is built. Values are from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy, with Foundation Foods analytical updates where available). The pool is 1,677 whole foods: fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds, grains, fish, meat, poultry, dairy and eggs. Spices, herbs, baby foods, powders, flours, dried and freeze-dried items, juices, processed meats, organ meats other than liver and uncommon foods are excluded; meats, fish, grains and legumes are ranked cooked. Each food family appears once and no single animal or plant fills more than six places. Ranking is by amount per serving; the per-100 g column is shown for reference. A food that USDA has not analysed for calcium is left out rather than counted as zero. Full methodology.
Frequently asked questions
Which food is highest in calcium?
Among nuts and seeds in the USDA database, Seeds, sesame seeds (whole, roasted and toasted) has the most calcium per serving: 280 mg per 1 oz (22% of the Daily Value). Per 100 g it contains 989 mg.
How much calcium do I need per day?
The FDA Daily Value used on Nutrition Facts labels is 1,300 mg of calcium for adults and children aged 4 and over. Individual needs vary with age, sex, pregnancy and health conditions.
What counts as a food high in calcium?
FDA labeling rules call a food a 'good source' when one serving provides 10 to 19% of the Daily Value and 'high' or 'excellent' at 20% or more. 1 of the 12 foods on this list reach 20% DV per serving.
Related rankings
- Foods high in potassium
- Foods high in magnesium
- Foods high in iron
- Foods high in zinc
- Foods high in selenium
- Foods high in copper
- All foods high in calcium
- Fruits high in calcium
- Vegetables high in calcium
- Legumes high in calcium
- Grains high in calcium
- Fish and seafood high in calcium
- Meat and poultry high in calcium
- Dairy and eggs high in calcium
Nutrient values are from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy, April 2018; Foundation Foods, April 2026) and shown per serving as described on each page. %DV uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children aged 4 and over. This is nutrition data for general information, not medical or dietary advice; talk to a clinician or registered dietitian about your own needs. How the numbers are calculated.