The Unexpected Fruit That Boasts A High Amount Of Calcium

Most people aren't getting enough calcium. In fact, a 2022 article published in the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences acknowledges calcium deficiency as a global concern that may be contributing to an increased incidence of heart disease and cancer. (And those are two of the leading causes of death in the United States, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.) In the U.S. specifically, 42% of individuals aren't meeting the daily requirements of calcium for their age and gender, according to a 2024 review in Nutrients.

What makes calcium such a critical nutrient? The mineral helps the health and development of bones and teeth, plays a part in blood clotting, and supports the nervous system, among other functions. In other words, it's necessary. However, you aren't relegated to eating dairy foods to get enough dietary calcium. You can find calcium in other sources, including some unexpected produce aisle picks like the heart- and liver-healthy prickly pear fruit.

The prickly pear fruit features a mostly smooth outer skin that's protected by spiky areas. (The spiky protrusions are fortunately cut off before they reach conventional grocery stores, so you won't have to deal with them unless you buy your prickly pears fresh.) Inside the skin is seeded flesh that some have compared in taste to kiwi or melons. And it's the flesh that contains a surprising amount of calcium per serving.

If you eat a single ripe prickly pear, you can expect to get 57.7 milligrams of calcium. That's not enough alone to get you the 1,000 milligrams to 1,200 milligrams each day that's recommended for adults. But it's a strong start. Plus, you're not consuming a lot of calories (42.2) and you're benefitting from some extra fiber (3.71 grams) and potassium (227 milligrams).

Adding prickly pears to your meal planning can help you avoid all the side effects that can come when you lack enough calcium. As Cedars-Sinai physician Dr. Victoria Kang explained in a Runner's World interview, long-term calcium deficits can result in many problems, including brittle hair, muscle cramps, bone-based injuries, and irregular heartbeat. (Here's why your heart may skip some beats.)

There's one obstacle to keep in mind, though, and it highlights why you should eat as many calcium-rich foods like prickly pear as you can: Calcium absorption rates tend to be low. The Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation says that adult bodies only absorb about 15% to 20% of the calcium that's consumed. Taking vitamin D alongside calcium can boost absorption to roughly 30% to 40%, according to a 2009 review in Current Rheumatology Reports.

Still, only 500 milligrams to 600 milligrams of calcium can be absorbed at once. Therefore, if you're going to supplement your dietary calcium, make sure not to take too large a dose at one sitting. Otherwise, it will just go to waste. As registered dietitian Beth Czerwony advised in a Cleveland Clinic interview, "Don't take a calcium supplement right after your daily multivitamin, and don't try to cram all of your calcium-rich foods into a single meal."