Why Calcium is Important?
Calcium is an essential mineral for our body. Most people think that calcium is essential only for strong bones and teeth, but it is also important for many other functions of the body.
Calcium Uses in Our Body
- for strong bones and teeth
- minimise bone loss
- prevent osteoporosis
- for muscles
- for nerves
- blood clot
- manage weight
- manage high blood pressure
- colon cancer
- kidney stones (kidney stones symptoms)
- cardiovascular disease
Calcium Daily Requirement
Calcium foods are recommended to overcome calcium deficiency symptoms. Why calcium is important? | Daily calcium requirement | Calcium foods
Vitamin D helps to absorb and properly consume calcium.
Who need calcium? When you need calcium?
The optimal intake of calcium is crucial for children, men and women of all ages. It 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, it 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.
| Age | Daily Intake (mg) |
| 0-6 month | 210 |
| 7-12 month | 270 |
| 1-3 year | 500 |
| 4-8 year | 800 |
| 9-18 year | 1300 |
| 19-50 year | 1000 |
| Over 50 year | 1200 |
Calcium Absorption
Eating high calcium foods is not enough because its absorption in the digestive tract can be affected by various factors. It depends on your age, pregnancy, and the amount of calcium, vitamin D, vitamin K2, magnesium and trace mineral in your body.
Its absorption declines with age. Vitamin D and vitamin K2 help in improving absorption, while magnesium deficiency affects calcium metabolism.
Calcium Rich Foods
The food sources of calcium are dairy products, beans and some fruits and vegetables, see the values given in the following list.
| Food | Calcium mg |
Dairy Products | |
| Skim Milk 1 cup | 301 |
| Whole Milk 1 cup | 290 |
| Plain Low fat Yogurt 1 cup | 415 |
| Cow Milk Cottage Cheese (Paneer) 1 cup | 208 |
| Baffalo Milk Cottage Cheese (Paneer) 1 cup | 480 |
| Feta cheese 40 g | 144 |
| Whipped Cream, 15 g | 13 |
Beans & Grains | |
| White beans 3/4 cup | 120 |
| Navy beans 3/4 cup | 94 |
| Black Turtle beans 3/4 cup | 75 |
| Chickpeas (Chhole) 3/4 cup | 58 |
| Tofu 150g | 350 |
| Soy bean curd slab 150g | 310 |
| Cooked Soy bean 1 cup | 130 |
| Instant oats, 1 pkt | 165 |
Fish | |
| Sardines in oil, tinned, 100 g | 500 |
| Salmon, tinned, 100 g | 91 |
| Fish paste, 35 g | 98 |
| Food | Calcium mg |
Nuts | |
| Almonds roasted 1/4 cup | 93 |
| Brazil Nuts 20 g | 34 |
| Hazlenuts 20 g | 28 |
| Walnuts 20 g | 19 |
| Almonds butter 2 Tbsp | 88 |
| Sesame seeds 12 g | 80 |
| Rice, plain, boiled 180 g | 32 |
Fruits & Vegetables | |
| Cabbage/bok choy 1/2 cup | 190 |
| Turnip greens 1/2 cup | 104 |
| Broccoli 1/2 cup | 33 |
| Okra 1/2 cup | 65 |
| Orange 1/2 cup | 52 |
| Orange juice fortified with calcium 1/2 cup | 165 |
Breads, Pizza | |
| White bread, 1 slice 30 g | 53 |
| Wholemeal bread, 1 slice 30 g | 32 |
| Muesli, Swiss style, 50 g | 55 |
| Lasagne, 400 g | 400 |
| Pizza, cheese & tomato, 410 g | 873 |
| Pasta, plain, cooked, 230 g | 85 |
The above list gives some foods with more than 300 mg of calcium per 100 g of that food.
- dairy Products; Milk and milk products
- Non dairy calcium foods
- Cereals and Grains
- Vegetables: Green leafy vegetables are an excellent source of calcium. Beetroot greens, Drumstick leaves, Fenugreek leaves, Turnip greens, Lotus stems, Curry leaves
- Spices: Cumin, Coriander, Cloves, Asafoetida (Hing), Oregano (Ajwain), Mustard seeds
- Fish