Soybeans contain 102 milligrams of calcium per 100 grams. Grams is a measure of weight. To put 100 grams in perspective, consider alternative measures for this food:
- 1 cup equals 172 grams.
In the category of calcium in legumes, we included only whole bean foods, not legume-based protein isolates and other processed legumes. The food tested for the particular graph below can be described more specifically as:
Soybeans, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, with salt
In general, beans tend to be a decent source of calcium. Beans do not perform well against milk-based foods but if you are on a dairy-restricted diet, you may be seeking out beans as a form of calcium. A key reason that beans are not as good as milk-based foods for calcium is the calcium blockers within the bean. However, you can cook your beans intentionally to reduce the calcium inhibitors and increase your absorption of calcium. On this website, we advise that you soak your beans at least twelve hours in warm water. Soaking your beans in warm water lowers the primary calcium binder in the bean (phytic acid) so that you can digest calcium more readily. Soaked beans also cook much more quickly than do dry beans, on the order of twice as quickly. Soaking will enhance your calcium assimilation and lessen your cooking time. You cannot lose. For more details on how to soak beans, see our resource page here.