The soya bean is a good source of calcium (Ca) and contains approximately 225 mg Ca/ 100 g beans. The content of soya drinks, however, is only 12-mg/100 g, so to be a good source of calcium and obtain the same quantity as in cow’s milk, soya drinks have to be enriched with calcium.

The bioavailability of calcium (the quantity available to be used in the biological processes), is very important. It is sometimes heard that the bioavailability of calcium from soya milk isn’t as high as from dairy milk.

For that reason, Zhao et al., 2005, compared the bioavailability of cow’s milk with that of calcium-enriched soya milk. Their research revealed that the bioavailability of calcium is comparable, and that both are good sources of calcium.

References :
Zhao et al., Calcium Bioavailability of Calcium Carbonate Fortified Soya milk is Equivalent to Cow’s Milk in Young Women. Journal of Nutrition (October 2005, Vol. 135 (10), blz. 2379-2382).