What is Calcium & What Does it Do? Booster Foods!

Getting enough calcium and vitamin D is essential to building strong, dense bones when you’re young and to keeping them strong and healthy as you age. The information included here will help you learn all about calcium and vitamin D – the two most important nutrients for bone health. booster

What is Calcium and What Does it Do?

Calcium is a mineral that is necessary for life. In addition to building bones and keeping them healthy, calcium helps our blood clot, nerves send messages and muscles contract. About 99 percent of the calcium in our bodies is in our bones and teeth. Each day, we lose calcium through our skin, nails, hair, sweat, urine, and feces, but our bodies cannot produce new calcium.

That’s why it’s important to try to get calcium from the food we eat. When we don’t get enough calcium for our body’s needs, it is taken from our bones.

How Much Calcium Do You Need?

The amount of calcium you need every day depends on your age and sex.

WOMEN:

Age 50 and younger – 1,000 mg daily.
Age 51 and older – 1,200 mg daily.

MEN:

Age 70 & younger – 1,000 mg daily.
Age 71 & older – 1,200 mg* daily.

How Much Calcium Do You Need?

Use the International Osteoporosis Foundation’s Calcium Calculator to find out.

Sources of Calcium:

Food is the best source of calcium. Dairy products, such as low-fat and non-fat milk, yogurt and cheese are high in calcium. Certain green vegetables and other foods contain calcium in smaller amounts. Some juices, breakfast foods, soymilk, cereals, snacks, bread and bottled water have calcium that has been added.

If you drink soymilk or another liquid that is fortified with calcium, be sure to shake the container well as calcium can settle to the bottom. A simple way to add calcium to many foods is to add a single tablespoon of nonfat powdered milk, which contains about 50 mg of calcium. About two-to-four tablespoons can be added to most recipes.

Calcium-Rich Food Sources:

If you’re looking for an alternative to dairy, the following versatile foods can give you a calcium boost, whether you’re in the mood for savory or sweet. booster

Sesame seeds 1/4 cup = 350 mg calcium Sprinkle these through your stir-fry, your bread rolls or on home-made biscuits.
Rhubarb 1 cup = 348 mg Try a tangy rhubarb crumble for dessert or stewed rhubarb on your breakfast cereal.
Figs 1 cup = 300 mg Eat plump juicy figs on their own, toss them with some rocket for an easy salad, or try fig jam.
Spinach 1 cup = 290 mg Snack on spinach triangles or add steamed spinach to a quiche.
Almonds 100 g = 240 mg Nibble on almonds between meals, or add slivered almonds to a stir-fry.
Tinned Salmon 85 g = 200 mg and Tuna 85 g = 370 mg The tinned varieties of salmon and tuna actually contain more calcium than the fresh versions, as the cooking process leeches the calcium from the fish-bones.
Try a seafood salad, salmon patties or tuna mornay.
Dried Apricots 1 cup = 70 mg Keep dried apricots on hand for an easy snack, or make an apricot-almond slice for an extra calcium boost.
Tofu 100 g = 336 mg Another staple for salads and stir-fries, or sprinkle tofu with sesame seeds before grilling.
Chinese kale 100 g = 179 mg Similar to spinach, Chinese kale can be steamed with garlic and oyster sauce then served with chicken or pork.
Baked beans 1 cup = 142 mg When you’re hungry for something really filling, cook these with some bacon and onion for a substantial calcium boost. booster

How Much Calcium am I Getting?

To determine how much calcium is in a particular food, check the nutrition facts panel of the food label for the daily value (DV) of calcium. Food labels list calcium as a percentage of the DV. This amount is based on 1,000 mg of calcium per day.

For example booster booster

30% DV of calcium equals 300 mg.
20% DV of calcium equals 200 mg of calcium.
15% DV of calcium equals 150 mg of calcium.

Calcium Supplements:

The amount of calcium you need from a supplement depends on the amount of calcium you get from food.
Aim to get the recommended daily amount of calcium you need from food first and supplement only if needed to make up for any shortfall.
If you get enough calcium from the foods you eat, then you don’t need to take a supplement.

In fact, there is no added benefit to taking more calcium than you need in supplements and doing so may even have some risks.

In general, you shouldn’t take supplements that you don’t need. Calcium supplements are available without a prescription in a wide range of preparations (including chewable and liquid) and in different amounts. The best supplement is the one that meets your needs based on convenience, cost, and availability.

When choosing the best supplement to meet your needs, keep the following in mind:

Choose brand-name supplements with proven reliability.
Read the product label carefully to determine the amount of elemental calcium, which is the actual amount of calcium in the supplement.
Calcium is absorbed best when taken in amounts of 500 – 600 mg or less. This is the case when you eat calcium-rich foods or take supplements.
Take most calcium supplements with food. Eating food produces stomach acid that helps your body absorb most calcium supplements.
When starting a new calcium supplement, start with a smaller amount to better tolerate it.
When switching supplements, try starting with 200-300 mg every day for a week, and drink an extra 6-8 ounce of water with it. Then gradually add more calcium each week.
Side effects of calcium supplements, such as gas or constipation may occur. If increasing fluids in
Your diet does not solve the problem, try another type or brand of calcium.
Talk with your healthcare provider or pharmacist about possible interactions between prescription or over-the-counter medications and calcium supplements. booster

Related Topics:

[grwebform url=”https://app.getresponse.com/view_webform_v2.js?u=hWJRM&webforms_id=14228403″ css=”on” center=”off” center_margin=”200″/]

If you find this article useful, don’t forget to share it with your friends and family, as you might help someone in need. Thanks.

Disclaimer: “Nothing in this article makes any claim to offer cures or treatment of any disease or illness. If you are sick please consult with your doctor.”

Read more about Vitamins and Minerals, and more about healthy eating and healthy topics, Please: Click Here