There are many nutrients that our body needs to function. One of those nutrients is calcium and, essential that we make sure we get it. One of those reasons is to make sure that our bones remain strong and healthy. One thing that you must make sure of is that you have your daily requirements for all your vitamins.
What Do We Need Calcium?
For starters, as mentioned before, we need calcium to keep our bones healthy. Additionally, it is also an essential nutrient for our teeth. If you have any children, make sure that your child gets their daily amount of calcium. It helps the growth of their bones as they get older which, is also needed.
Another job that calcium does inside our body is to control muscle contraction. It stimulates muscles by releasing calcium and then helps the protein with muscle contraction. Another good thing about calcium is that it prevents blood clots in our bodies.
There have been many studies that have found why calcium is good. However, like most case studies, there is no solid evidence of what calcium does. There have been studies that have shown children who have a calcium deficiency could lead to rickets. Osteoporosis is common in adults who have a calcium deficiency. It is an essential vitamin for all ages so make sure that you get your daily intake.
Which Foods Contain Calcium?
Many foods contain calcium. Green leafy vegetables are just one that contains plenty of calcium. Fish is also great for calcium. The types of fish that have calcium are Sardines, Pilchards and Salmon. The vegetables that contain calcium are broccoli, collards, kale and bok choy. There are plenty of nuts that also contain calcium such, as Almonds and Brazil Nuts. The good news is, cheese also contains calcium. Yes, that means you can get a healthy nutrient from cheese and crackers.
So, how much calcium do we need? Well, scientists and nutritionists recommend that adults who are between the ages of 19 to 64 need around 1000 mg per day. There are many foods out there that contain calcium, so it is easily achievable during the day.
Believe it or not, the way that you cook certain foods. When it comes to cooking your greens, the best way to do it is by cooking them in small amounts of water for very little time. Steaming vegetables is another great way to cook your food. That way, you make sure that your calcium remains in your food.
Fun fact! If you have any foods that contain fibre, it could potentially stop the calcium from being absorbed in your body. If you have a vegan diet, you need to make sure that you have fortified products as well as soy.
There are some vitamins and minerals out there that our bodies will produce. For example, our body produces vitamin D when it comes into contact with sunlight. We also produce Niacin, which is when amino acid, tryptophan, synthesize niacin. Other vitamins and minerals are synthesized by the bacteria that live in our gut. Calcium is one of the nutrients that our body cannot produce. This is why you eat foods that contain calcium to make sure that you get your daily requirement.
Did you know that one cup of low-fat milk feeds your body roughly a third of your daily requirement? Have that on top of the foods that contain calcium and, you easily achieve the amount that you need to keep your body healthy.
What Are The Issues of Not Meeting Your Daily Requirement
There are many health problems when it comes to being deficient in calcium. For starters, pains in your muscles are common when it comes to being deficient in calcium. Furthermore, it is common to have numbness in your hands, arms, feet and legs. Other signs of calcium deficiency are dry skin, dry or broken nails, coarse hair, alopecia eczema and psoriasis (red and crusty skin). As mentioned earlier, calcium is needed to keep both your teeth and bones healthy.
Problems of Too Much Calcium
Like most nutrients, there could be some health issues for having too much calcium. If it happens now and again, then you won’t cause much harm to your body. If you are constantly exceeding your daily requirement of calcium. It could lead to diarrhoea, kidney stones and other issues.
Supplements and Who Should Take Them?
Certain people will need calcium supplements because of their lifestyle. If you have a vegan diet, we would suggest that you take calcium supplements for this. If you are lactose intolerant and limited on dairy products, then your doctor will recommend supplements for that. Other health issues where you might require calcium supplements are certain digestive diseases. If you suffer from any of these, see your doctor will probably suggest taking a supplement. Before you begin taking supplements, you need to make sure that it is ok for your health.
Risks of Taking Supplements
There are other health complications when it comes to calcium supplements. If you have excess calcium in your bloodstream due to a health condition then your doctor will advise you to avoid calcium supplements. Some studies have suggested that a high dose of supplements can lead to heart disease. However, there is no solid evidence as of yet to prove that it causes heart disease. There are many suspected health conditions that you will be able to find online that is linked with calcium supplements.
To Conclude
All nutrients are important for the diet. However, some are much more important than others. Calcium is one of those nutrients for us that is essential. Believe it or not, 99.9% is found in our teeth bones. If you do not have your daily requirement of calcium then you could potentially have issues with both your teeth and your bones. Aim for your superfoods as these will have the most nutrients in them. For example, a plant-based protein powder will contain a lot more vitamins and minerals compared to a normal one.
Vitamin D is another nutrient that we heavily rely on. However, we need Vitamin D in our body as it assists with absorbing calcium. Even if you have your daily amount of calcium, it will not get absorbed if you do not have enough vitamin D in your body.
During the winter months, when there is little sunlight, it is recommended that you start taking vitamin D tablets. Our bodies produce vitamin D when we are in direct sunlight for which is why you should consider taking a supplement during the winter months.
Calcium is more important for women. A study concluded that those women who have lower intakes of calcium and magnesium, and serum levels, have PMS. PMS stands for premenstrual syndrome. Once again, you should never assume the solution to anything that you might suffer with. There are many reasons why you might suffer from a disease. A doctor will be able to do a series of tests to find out what the issue is. Too much of a supplement can be overwhelming and cause more damage than good.