Just when you thought dairy products were the only source, lo and behold every tablespoon of sesame seeds contains about 10% of the calcium you need each day. Nevertheless, like many of the other non-dairy sources of calcium (such as turnips, mustard greens, broccoli, cauliflower and kale), sesame seeds contain oxalates which decrease the absorption of calcium. While there is debate, toasting sesame seeds may destroy the oxalates, thus making the calcium more readily absorbable. Nevertheless, while you can’t rely entirely upon these non-dairy sources of calcium, they can still make small contributions to your daily calcium intake.

—I learned about this fact from: Bowden, Johnny. The 150 healthiest foods on earth. Fair Winds Press. Massachussets: 2007.