Calcium-Rich Vegetarian Foods in India: 20 Foods Ranked (IFCT 2017)
Sesame, leafy greens, paneer and ragi all show up as calcium-rich in the Indian food tables. This guide ranks 20 foods by calcium per 100 g using Table 5 of the ICMR-NIN Indian Food Composition Tables 2017 (IFCT 2017), then shows what a serving we chose holds. It ranks the calcium in the food, not how much the body absorbs, which IFCT does not report.
The short answer
By IFCT 2017, black sesame has the most calcium of the 20 foods here at 1,664 mg per 100 g, then white sesame at 1,283 mg and agathi leaves at 901 mg. Paneer has 476 mg, raw ragi grain 364 mg and whole cow milk 118 mg. Wheat flour has 31 mg and raw rice 7.5 mg. Our reading: per 100 g the seeds and leaves lead, but a spoon of seeds is a much smaller serving than a glass of milk, so look at the serving table too.
20 foods ranked by calcium per 100 g
Each row is one IFCT 2017 Table 5 row (minerals), per 100 g edible portion as listed in the book, mean value. Seeds, grains and pulses are dry or raw; leaves are raw; milk is as sold. Where IFCT lists several varieties we use one row and name it.
| Food (IFCT 2017 Table 5 row) | Calcium per 100 g |
|---|---|
| Gingelly seeds, black (black sesame, til) (H009) | 1,664 mg |
| Gingelly seeds, white (white sesame, til) (H011) | 1,283 mg |
| Agathi leaves, raw (C001) | 901 mg |
| Paneer (L003) | 476 mg |
| Ragi (the grain, raw) (A010) | 364 mg |
| Amaranth leaves, green, raw (chaulai) (C002) | 330 mg |
| Garden cress, seeds (halim) (H008) | 318 mg |
| Drumstick leaves, raw (moringa leaves) (C019) | 314 mg |
| Fenugreek leaves, raw (methi) (C020) | 274 mg |
| Horse gram, whole, dry (kulthi) (B012) | 269 mg |
| Soybean, brown, dry (B024) | 239 mg |
| Almond (H001) | 228 mg |
| Milk, whole, buffalo (L001) | 121 mg |
| Milk, whole, cow (L002) | 118 mg |
| Green gram, whole, dry (whole moong) (B011) | 92 mg |
| Spinach, raw (palak) (C033) | 82 mg |
| Ground nut (peanut), raw (H012) | 54 mg |
| Bengal gram dal, dry (chana dal) (B001) | 46 mg |
| Wheat flour, atta (A019) | 31 mg |
| Rice, raw, milled (A015) | 7.5 mg |
Spices such as cumin, coriander seed and ajwain also have high calcium per 100 g in IFCT 2017, but they are eaten in grams, so they are left out of this ranking.
Calcium in a serving, with weights we chose
IFCT lists food per 100 g, so a serving needs a weight, and these are ours. Each figure is calcium per 100 g times the grams, divided by 100, to the nearest milligram.
| Serving (weights are ours) | Calcium |
|---|---|
| 10 g black sesame (H009) | 166 mg |
| 10 g white sesame (H011) | 128 mg |
| 50 g paneer (L003) | 238 mg |
| 30 g ragi grain, raw (A010) | 109 mg |
| 100 g raw amaranth leaves (C002) | 330 mg |
| 100 g raw drumstick leaves (C019) | 314 mg |
| 100 g raw fenugreek leaves (C020) | 274 mg |
| 200 g whole cow milk (L002) | 236 mg |
| 20 g almonds (H001) | 46 mg |
| 100 g raw spinach (C033) | 82 mg |
Tofu is not in IFCT 2017
IFCT 2017 has no tofu row. For reference only, from a different source, USDA FoodData Central lists raw firm tofu prepared with calcium sulfate (FDC 172475) at 683 mg of calcium per 100 g and raw regular tofu prepared with calcium sulfate (FDC 172476) at 350 mg. Tofu set with other coagulants can differ, so check the pack. We compare it with paneer in paneer vs tofu.
What the numbers say
- Sesame leads, in small servings. Black sesame has 1,664 mg per 100 g and white sesame 1,283 mg, so 10 g holds about 166 mg and 128 mg.
- Several raw leaves are around 300 mg per 100 g. Amaranth leaves 330 mg, drumstick leaves 314 mg and fenugreek leaves 274 mg, while raw spinach has 82 mg.
- Ragi is well ahead of wheat and rice. 364 mg per 100 g against 31 mg for atta and 7.5 mg for rice.
For ragi and other millets, see millets vs rice and wheat; for milk, see milk calories and protein, cow vs buffalo; for the leaves and other vegetables, see which vegetables have the most protein.
What this page leaves out
- Absorption: IFCT 2017 reports the calcium in the food, not how much the body takes up, and we have not looked that up, so this ranks content only.
- Cooked values and foods with no IFCT row (ragi flour or roti, cooked leaves, curd, tofu in IFCT).
- A calcium target, and anything about bones, health outcomes or weight: the page adds up food data and makes no such claim.
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Join the NYUS waitlistFrequently asked questions
Which vegetarian foods have the most calcium?
In IFCT 2017 Table 5, per 100 g, black sesame (H009) has 1,664 mg of calcium, white sesame (H011) 1,283 mg and raw agathi leaves (C001) 901 mg, followed by paneer (L003) at 476 mg and raw ragi grain (A010) at 364 mg. Sesame is eaten in small amounts, so a 10 g serving of black sesame holds about 166 mg by our arithmetic.
How much calcium is in ragi?
IFCT 2017 lists ragi (A010, the raw grain) at 364 mg of calcium per 100 g, against 31 mg for wheat flour (atta, A019) and 7.5 mg for raw milled rice (A015). A 30 g serving of the raw grain holds about 109 mg by our arithmetic. IFCT 2017 has no row for ragi flour, ragi roti or cooked ragi, so we give no figures for them.
Which has more calcium, milk or paneer?
Per 100 g, paneer (L003) has 476 mg and whole cow milk (L002) 118 mg in IFCT 2017, with whole buffalo milk (L001) at 121 mg. For servings we chose, 50 g of paneer holds about 238 mg and 200 g of whole cow milk about 236 mg, so the two come out close.
How much calcium do I need each day?
We have not looked up a calcium target for any age or condition, so this guide gives none and makes no claim about bones or health. IFCT 2017 also reports the calcium in the food, not how much of it the body absorbs. Ask a doctor or registered dietitian what amount is right for you.
Sources
- ICMR-NIN, Indian Food Composition Tables 2017 (IFCT 2017). Table 5 (Minerals and Trace Elements), calcium column, per 100 g edible portion, rows opened and read from the PDF twice on 24 Oct 2026: cereals A010, A015, A019 (PDF pages 151 to 153); pulses B001, B011, B012 (page 153) and B024 (page 155); leaves C001, C002 (page 155), C019, C020 (page 157) and C033 (page 159); seeds and nuts H001, H008, H009, H011, H012 (page 179); milk and paneer L001, L002, L003 (page 183).
- USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy: FDC 172475 (tofu, raw, firm, prepared with calcium sulfate, 683 mg calcium per 100 g) and FDC 172476 (tofu, raw, regular, prepared with calcium sulfate, 350 mg).
The serving weights and the serving calcium figures are NYUS's own arithmetic, and every sentence starting "Our reading" is NYUS opinion, not from a study. Names in brackets are our matching to the IFCT row names.