Calcium is a mineral that your body needs for many functions, such as building and maintaining strong bones and teeth, helping your muscles and nerves work properly, and preventing blood clots. However, if you do not get enough calcium from your food, you may have health problems like weak bones, bone pain, and increased risk of fractures. Therefore, it is important to eat foods that have a lot of calcium and that your body can absorb well.
The best foods that have calcium are dairy products, such as milk, yogurt, and cheese. These foods not only have a lot of calcium, but also have other nutrients that help your body use the calcium better, such as protein, phosphorus, and vitamin D. For example, one cup of milk has about 300 mg of calcium, which is almost one-fourth of the amount that adults need every day.
If you cannot eat dairy products or do not like them, you can still get calcium from other foods. Some foods that come from plants also have calcium, such as seeds, nuts, beans, tofu, leafy greens, broccoli, and cereals that have added calcium. However, some of these foods also have substances that can make it harder for your body to absorb the calcium, such as oxalates and phytates. Therefore, you may need to eat more of these foods or take a calcium supplement to get enough calcium.
Here are some examples of plant foods that have calcium:
Seeds: Sesame seeds have 88 mg (7% of the daily value).
Nuts: Almonds have 76 mg of calcium in one ounce (6% of the daily value), while Brazil nuts have 45 mg (4% of the daily value).
Beans: White beans have 161 mg of calcium in one cup (12% of the daily value), while navy beans have 126 mg (10% of the daily value).
Leafy greens: Kale has 101 mg of calcium in one cup (8% of the daily value), while collard greens have 266 mg (20% of the daily value).
Broccoli: Broccoli has 43 mg of calcium in one cup (3% of the daily value), while broccoli rabe has 100 mg (8% of the daily value).
Fortified cereals: Some cereals have extra calcium added to them and can give you up to 100% of the daily value in one serving. You can check the nutrition label to see how much calcium they have.
Calcium is a very important mineral that you need to get from your food. Dairy products are the best foods that have calcium, but you can also find it in many plant foods. To make sure that you get enough calcium for your bone health and overall well-being, try to include a variety of these foods in your daily meals and snacks.
Dr. Karuturi Subrahmanyam, MD, FRCP (London), FACP (USA)
Internal Medicine Specialist
Kify Hospital
Danavaipeta
Rajahmundry
Phone : 85000 23456
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