Calcium is an integral mineral that contributes when it comes to developing and strengthening bones. This is crucial for babies since they are still growing and the development in their bones has to be supplemented with enough calcium. The same goes for pregnant women who have babies growing inside them. Actually, the tendency is that they need to take in more calcium since the fetus consumes the calcium in the mother’s body. The need for this nutrient does not stop, especially as you grow older. That is why, for both young and old, eating sufficient calcium rich foods is necessary. As we age, the bone also has the tendency to become brittle due to lack of calcium. Aside from that, we often do activities that could further promote loss of this nutrient like smoking. If there is not sufficient amount of this within an adult’s body, it could lead to osteoporosis or continuous reduction of bone density mass. The good thing is that incorporating calcium rich foods within your diet will help you prevent such health problems.
Here are 15 different calcium rich foods and the amount that you can get per serving:
• Calcium fortified cereal—1000 mg / ¾ cup
• Low fat and plain yogurt—415 mg / 8 oz.
• Orange juice that is calcium fortified—350 mg / cup
• Sardines—325 mg for every 3 oz.
• Fortified soy milk—300 mg / cup
• Spinach—291 mg / cup
• Low fat milk—290 mg / cup
• Low fat cottage cheese—206 mg / cup
• Cheddar cheese with reduced fat—200 mg / ounce
• Canned salmon with bones—181 mg for ever 3 oz.
• Processed tofu with calcium—163 mg / ¼ block
• Crab meat—123 mg / cup
• Almonds—110 mg / 1/3 cup
• Cooked broccoli—61 mg / cup
• Cooked beans—25-65 mg / ½ cup
If you are planning to nourish and strengthen your bones by eating calcium rich foods, you also have to make sure that you have sufficient Vitamin D in your body. This is what enables the bones and the body to absorb calcium so it can be used up properly. Without Vitamin D, the calcium that you get from food will merely go to waste.
Vitamin D can be obtained from exposure to sunlight, especially during the early morning. For warm months, all you need to do is spend a few hours outdoors to sustain your body’s needs for Vitamin D. However, during winter or colder months, the amount of this vitamin inside the body drops drastically.
There are calcium rich foods that have been fortified with Vitamin D. It includes dairy products and other foods which are specifically manufactured to have this vitamin so that calcium would be absorbed better. The amount of Vitamins that you can get from Vitamin D foods might not be equal to that which you can get from sun exposure but this will prevent Vitamin D deficiency.