Amount of calcium in foods. What foods contain calcium

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Mineral substances take part in all processes of human life. The body contains about 70 different minerals. Basically, they enter the body with food, but with an unbalanced diet, there is often a lack of one of them. At the same time, various pathologies develop. Most often they talk about a lack of calcium. This microelement is necessary for the proper course of many biochemical processes; the he alth of bones, teeth, the work of the heart and muscles depends on it. And his body needs a lot - about 1000 mg per day. But not all foods contain calcium in sufficient quantities. Therefore, its deficiency is often observed.

The value of calcium for the body

Calcium carbonate is also known as chalk. This mineral is one of the most common in nature. It is found in soil, water, and calcium is also found in food. In the body of an adult, it is contained in an amount of about 1 kg. After all, it is necessary for the flow of many biological processes. Almost all of it is contained in the bones, being theirmain building element. 1% is in the teeth and the same amount circulates in the blood, participating in the work of muscles and the heart. Calcium is necessary for the processes of conducting nerve impulses, blood clotting. It is also involved in creating immune defenses and maintaining acid-base balance.

Daily requirement for calcium

For the normal functioning of the body in the blood must be a strictly defined amount of calcium. When it decreases, replenishment comes from food. If there is not enough calcium in the products, the body replenishes the balance due to its reserves in the bone tissue. As a result, various pathologies can develop. From the lack of this trace element, not only bones suffer, but also teeth, muscles, and the nervous system. To avoid this, you need to eat foods rich in calcium daily.

On average, an adult needs 800-1000 mg of this trace element. But it depends on physical activity, age, gender and some other factors. The need increases when playing sports, nervous overload, taking certain medications, or in diseases accompanied by a large loss of fluid. More calcium is needed during puberty, pregnancy and breastfeeding. There are such norms for the consumption of this mineral:

• Children up to a year - 270 mg;
• up to 5 years - 500 mg;
• up to 9 years - 800 mg;
• from 9 to 18 years old - 1300 mg;
• up to 50 years - 1000 mg;
• during pregnancy and lactation - 2000 mg.

Is there calcium in food

Because this mineral is fairly common and found in water and soil, it is abundant in various foods. In addition to the generally recognized source of calcium - dairy products - it can be obtained from eggs, fish, nuts and vegetables. Even in drinking water it contains up to 500 mg per 1 liter. If you eat a balanced and varied diet, there will be no lack of calcium.

But it should be borne in mind that this mineral is not always fully absorbed from different foods. For example, cheese contains a lot of it, but it is poorly digested. In some green vegetables, oxalic acid interferes with calcium absorption. Scientists have found that on average, with food, a person receives 300-500 mg of this mineral. That is why there are so many signs of lack.

Which foods have the most calcium

It is well known that dairy products are the main supplier of this mineral to the body. But there are also lesser-known sources of it, and they may even contain more of it than milk. Especially you need to know which foods are high in calcium for those who suffer from lactose intolerance. They cannot make up for its deficiency with milk. But calcium can also be obtained from other foods:

• Most of all this mineral is found in sesame seeds. Therefore, this product should be eaten by those who have a lack of calcium in the blood. Only 100 grams of sesame seeds supply the body with 700 mg to 1 gram of this trace element. It is recommended to addnot only in pastries, but also in cereals, salads.
• You should also include poppy seeds in your diet. They also have a lot of calcium.
• Wheat also has this mineral. But when grinding flour, it remains all in the bran - about 900 mg per 100 g. White flour does not contain it at all, so it is best to eat whole grain bread.
• Be sure to include greens in the diet: parsley leaves, basil, dill. They contain about 250 mg per 100 g. You can also eat mustard leaves, dandelion, borage.
• Lots of calcium in sardines. Moreover, they are best eaten in the form of canned food, along with softened bones. They contain 370 mg of calcium per 100 g of product.

Dairy

It is well known that milk, fermented baked milk, cottage cheese, kefir and yogurt are very good for he alth. They have long been included in the mandatory diet of children. And modern research has confirmed that these are foods containing calcium in large quantities. In addition, due to the presence of milk sugar in their composition, this mineral is well absorbed. It is best to buy such products that have an average fat content, in the presence of a large amount of fat, calcium is absorbed worse.

To get a daily dose of calcium, you need to drink at least a liter of milk or yogurt per day. Most of all it is in cottage cheese or hard cheese. But calcium is poorly absorbed from cheese.

Other foods containing calcium

This mineral can also be obtained from other foods. For example, there is less calcium in vegetables and fruits than in milk, but they are constantlyare present in the human diet, so with their help it is easy to make up for its deficiency. Especially a lot of it in green vegetables. Moreover, cabbage, parsley, lettuce and green onions contain it in an optimal ratio with phosphorus. A lot of calcium is also in pumpkin, carrots, garlic, apples. And from these products, it is quite well absorbed. But spinach and sorrel, although rich in calcium, cannot be considered a source of it. After all, oxalic acid slows down its absorption.

A lot of this mineral is also in nuts. To compensate for the lack of calcium, it is useful to include almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts in the diet. It is recommended to eat at least a few pieces daily. Dried apricots or figs also make up for the lack of calcium. Enough 8 pieces per day - and this will cover 10% of the daily requirement of the mineral. For breakfast, it is recommended to eat oatmeal. A plate of it contains 20% of the daily requirement of calcium. And for vegetarians or people with lactose intolerance, regular milk can be replaced with soy milk.

There is some calcium in fish and seafood, especially in mackerel, sardines, shrimp. But in meat and eggs it is not enough. The more it is processed, the less this mineral. In semi-finished products, calcium is only about 10 mg per 100 g.

Assimilation of this mineral

It is not enough to know which foods contain calcium. Even if you use them regularly in sufficient quantities, this does not mean that the entire mineral will be absorbed from them. Calcium deficiency can occur even in people trying to eat right. After all, some other microelements are necessary for its assimilation. First of all, it is fat. Therefore, those who choose low-fat dairy products cannot get calcium from them. You also need enough iron and vitamin D.

There are also trace elements that interfere with the absorption of calcium. Its absorption worsens with an excess of magnesium and phosphorus. In addition, during the heat treatment, calcium can be converted into an inorganic form, which is less absorbed. This mineral is excreted from the body with excessive consumption of coffee, carbonated drinks with heavy sweating or the use of diuretics.

In addition, calcium absorption is affected by age. In children, up to 50% of the mineral contained in the products is absorbed. And with age, this ability is lost. People over 45 absorb only 15% of calcium.

Calcium deficiency

Despite the fact that this mineral is quite common, in recent years various pathologies have been developing more and more often due to its lack. The reason for them can be not only a small amount of calcium in food, but also a violation of its absorption. Moreover, at the same time, it will gradually be washed out of the bones, leading to the development of serious diseases. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to the signs of calcium deficiency in time. The person may experience the following symptoms:

• hair loss, dull and brittle;
• chronic fatigue, severe fatigue;
• dry skin, brittle nails;
• increased sensitivity of tooth enamel, predisposition to caries;
• frequent convulsions,muscle cramps;
• constipation;
• bleeding gums;
• decreased immunity.

Lack of calcium can affect the work of the heart. Heart failure, arrhythmia develops, there may be fluctuations in blood pressure. If you ignore these symptoms, the body will make up for the lack of calcium from the bones. Often because of this, osteoporosis develops - a decrease in bone density. Bones become brittle, begin to deform, and the functioning of the joints is disrupted.

How to fill the lack of calcium

Most often, to compensate for the lack of this trace element, it is recommended to take special preparations. Calcium is produced mainly in the form of carbonate, lactate or gluconate. Such drugs are popular: Calcemin, Calcium D3 Nycomed, Calcium Sandoz Forte, Complivit Calcium D3, Marine Calcium Biobalance. Additionally, it is recommended to take vitamin D or fish oil.

You can make up for the lack of calcium in other ways. For example, include ground eggshells in your diet. It must be taken from well-washed and boiled eggs. Grind the shells in a coffee grinder and take a third of a teaspoon per day, adding lemon juice. There is also calcium in herbs: thyme, thyme, nettle, rosemary. The bowl should consume celery, sesame, flax and poppy seeds.

Excess of this mineral

The amount of calcium in the products that modern people consume is not very large. Somost often there is a lack of it. But one should not forget about such a condition as hypercalcemia. This can happen with some pathologies that cause a violation of mineral metabolism, as well as with uncontrolled intake of drugs. With an excess of calcium in the body, the following symptoms can be observed:

• drowsiness, weakness, decreased muscle tone;
• appetite decreases, strong thirst appears;
• urination becomes more frequent, calcium s alts are found in the urine;
• disturbed heart rhythm;
• lowering blood pressure;
• appears heartburn, flatulence, constipation;
• may form kidney stones.
• s alts are deposited in the tissues, most often in the joints.

Calcium is a very important mineral for human he alth. To get enough of it, you need to eat a varied and balanced diet. And calcium supplements, which have become popular recently, can only be taken at the dosage recommended by the doctor.