Foods Rich in Calcium

Calcium, the most abundant mineral in the body, is found in some foods, added to others, available as a dietary supplement, and present in some medicines (such as antacids). Calcium is required for muscle contraction, blood vessel expansion and contraction, secretion of hormones and enzymes, and transmitting impulses throughout the nervous system.

Did you know that 99% of your body's calcium is stored in your bones and teeth? This calcium makes up your bone bank. Calcium is "deposited" and "withdrawn" from your bone bank daily, based on your body's need for calcium. If your daily diet is low in calcium, calcium is "withdrawn" from your bone bank. Bone is broken down to keep your blood calcium level normal. This happens because calcium plays a critical role in supporting your body's vital functions; such as controlling your blood pressure and maintaining your heart beat.

Why do you need Calicum?

Calcium is one of the main nutrients that the body requires in order to overcome the problems of high blood pressure, heart attack, premenstrual syndrome and colon cancer. One of the main health benefits of calcium is that it helps in keeping the bones strong and healthy. By keeping the bones healthy, calcium paves way for prevention of osteoporosis. Calcium intake helps in relieving backache by strengthening backbone.

Calcium helps to keep a check on the blood pressure and also aids in muscle contraction, thereby enabling the heart and blood vessels to perform their functioning effectively. The consumption of calcium also helps in facilitating the movement of nutrients across cell membranes and helps our bodies absorb the nutrients.

Who needs Calcium?

The optimal intake of calcium is crucial for children, men and women of all ages. The calcium is needed throughout the lifetime and its daily intake value increases with age. The growing children needs good amount of calcium for their growing bones. After adulthood, the calcium is needed to keep the bones strong.

Pregnant and Lactating women require more calcium. Women after menopause also need more calcium to prevent osteoporosis.

For babies, breastfeeding is the best way as a source of calcium. Formula milk also provides adequate calcium for babies.

How much Calcium do you need?

To promote strong bones throughout life, it is recommended that everyone, including pregnant or breastfeeding women, consume the following daily calcium:

What are the Best sources of Calcium?

Following are the most common calcium rich foods:

• Milk: Milk is one of the most calcium rich food. Most people fear that consuming too many milk-based products like ice cream, cheese, and yogurt will lead to weight gain. If you are concerned about the calories in these calcium rich foods then choose products that have been made with low-fat or fat-free milk. Make sure any milk shakes or cappuccinos are made with this kind of milk too.

• Fruits: Calcium rich foods include a variety of fruits. Pears (nashpati), oranges, and apricots (khubani) are tasty calcium sources. Dried fruits such as raisins (kishmish), prunes, figs (anjeer), and dates (khajur) are rich in calcium too.

• Green Leafy Vegetables: Many dark green leafy vegetables have relatively high calcium concentrations. A cup of Broccoli contains about 180 mg of calcium. Spinach (palak) is also good when it comes to calcium content. There is around 300 mg of calcium in a single cup of spinach. However, the oxalate content in spinach binds with calcium decreasing its absorption. By way of comparison, the body can absorb about half of the calcium present in broccoli, yet only around 5% of the calcium in spinach.

• Breakfast Cereals: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day so you should make sure to eat a lot of calcium rich foods. Calcium fortified breakfast cereals are excellent calcium sources. These cereals provide the recommended amount of daily calcium in one serving. Oatmeal prepared with low-fat milk instead of water is also a good source of calcium.

• Fish: There are numerous types of fish that are good calcium sources. These fish include ocean perch, rainbow trout, and pink salmon with bones. You can also get a nice amount of calcium from blue crabs and clams.

• Yogurt: Not only does yogurt provide you with beneficial bacterial cultures, which keep your immune system strong and your digestive tract healthy, it also provides a whopping 300 mg of calcium per 3/4 cup serving.

• Beans: Beans are good any time of the year, whether in soup, a refreshing salad, comforting chili or on their own and they're a great way to add fiber, protein and calcium to your diet.

• Almonds (Badam): Whether eaten alone, thrown in a salad or used as a crust on chicken or fish, almonds are one of the tastiest ways to reach your recommended daily intake of calcium. A handful (1/4 cup) of almonds contains 95 mg of calcium. It is also a great source of fiber, protein and monounsaturated fats.

• Sesame (Til) Seeds: Sesame seeds bring flavor to any dish, especially when they're roasted. They add a nice finish to any plate and are a fast and easy way to get some extra calcium. One tablespoon contains 90 mg of calcium, so next time you're about to indulge in your favorite dinner, sprinkle a tablespoon or two on top.

So for all those lactose intolerant people, calcium-rich foods don't have to be limited to dairy products. A well-balanced diet can feature 2-3 servings of dairy products, or 4-6 servings of vegetables and calcium-fortified foods to give you the calcium-rich foods you need everyday.