Being an essential component for bones and teeth,1300 milligrams of calcium per day is recommended as a necessary part of your daily consumption.
If you’ve been taking these numbers lightly because you thought you were past your teenage – well you certainly are in for a surprise.
Because bones are a living organ, they are constantly remodelled every ten years. This means that a 15 year old needs calcium just as much as a 35 or a 75 year old. Yes, we know. This would definitely have come in handy as a comeback while your mom piled your plate with greens and preached how you need more and more calcium to grow as a kid.
In addition to that, your body does not produce calcium on its own and your digestive system isn’t all that great at absorbing it from your diet either. Only 15% to 20% of the calcium you consume is actually used up while the rest goes unabsorbed.
But not just for building a renewed skeleton, calcium is also necessary for cell functioning. When the calcium level in your blood falls below a certain degree, it will trigger your body to borrow calcium for your bones. So not only will insufficient amounts lead to poorly developed bones, but also to their degeneration.
Perhaps now would be the time to go grocery shopping. To save you from lurking in the aisles, looking for calcium rich foods – we’re here with the kick-start you need. Here are a few suggestions of what you can eat :
FOODS RICH IN CALCIUM
1. Broccoli
100 g of broccoli (that’s roughly three large heads) provides 47 mg of calcium. Broccoli is a good source of vitamin K and calcium, two vital nutrients for maintaining strong, healthy bones. If you’re a picky eater, well then we recommend this even more! Did you know that you can manipulate your brain to acquire the taste of a food you don’t like?
According to Women’s Health, sprinkling something that you do like (parmesan cheese, soy sauce, etc.) on top of a serving of a food you don’t like will help to mask the taste and allow your brain to form a positive association with that food. So, go train your brain! Eat that broccoli! Get that calcium!
2. Pumpkin seeds
Pumpkin seeds are rich in vitamins and minerals like manganese and calcium. A 100 g of pumpkin seeds contain 55 mg of calcium. The American heart association recommends a quarter cup of daily intake of pumpkin seeds as part of an overall healthy diet, which is approximately 30g. This amount will provide you with a good amount of protein, healthy fats, fibre, zinc, calcium, magnesium and other effective nutrients. Not only can you munch on them as a snack, but you can also add them to your dishes to add an interesting crunch and taste.
3. Almonds
100 g of raw almonds (about 75 almonds) provides 264 mg of calcium. Not to ignore the significant amount of potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, manganese, and copper– all minerals that are essential for supporting healthy bones. The best way to consume them, we would suggest, is just simply munching on them. Almonds are a nutritious superfood as well as a delicious snack that keeps you full for longer time.
Tip – You can also soak your almonds for 5-6 hours and take their peel off before you eat them. The peel of almond contains tannin, which inhibits nutrient absorption. Plus taking off the peel allows the nuts to release all the nutrients easily, makes them softer and easier to digest (which again helps in the absorption of nutrients in a better manner).
4. Chia needs
100 grams of chia seeds contain a very generous 631 mg of calcium. To make things simpler, about three tablespoons of chia seeds will have more calcium than a glass of milk. And believe it or not, this is one of the most delicious and interesting things you’ll be adding to your diet. Chia seeds are a perfect component to add to smoothies, jams, cereal, ice-cream, pancakes, oatmeal, pudding and much more. So, if you’re someone with a sweet tooth, you’ll have a great time eating chia seeds.
Or you can simply soak them in a glass water for 20-30 minutes and consume it.
5. Cabbage
Vegetables in the cabbage family, including broccoli, kale, bok choy, cabbage, mustard, and turnip greens are all good sources of calcium. Plus they are very bioavailable – this means that these foods have the capability of being better absorbed into the body, so you get more nutrients than you otherwise would. Having an excellent nutrient profile and bioavailability, eating cabbage is not only beneficial but can also be assembled into delicious recipes. It can be added to soups, salads, noodles, wraps, burritos, dumplings, sandwiches, burgers, lasagne and so much more.
DISCLAIMER
The priority, in this blog, is to supply the reader with clear and unambiguous information. However, neither The New Me nor Gagan Dhawan makes promises, or guarantees regarding the completeness of the information found here. The content is not a replacement for advice of a licensed professional. The opinions expressed in this blog are solely that of the writer’s.
