Calcium is an important component of a healthy diet and a mineral necessary for life. “Calcium plays an important role in building stronger, denser bones early in life and keeping bones strong and healthy later in life.” So it is very important to have Calcium rich foods in your diet to maintain healthy life.
| Recommended adequate intake by the IOM for calcium:[1] | |
| Age | Calcium (mg/day) |
| 0–6 months | 200 |
| 7–12 months | 260 |
| 1–3 years | 700 |
| 4–8 years | 1000 |
| 9–18 years | 1300 |
| 19–50 years | 1000 |
| 51–70 years (male) | 1000 |
| 51–70 years (female) | 1200 |
| 71+ years | 1200 |
Vegetarian Calcium Rich Foods:
Calcium is essential for maintaining strong bones and teeth. It also helps regulate blood pressure. The body can get calcium from one of two sources: food or bones. When food fails to meet your body’s calcium requirements, it borrows it from your bones. If this happens over a period of time then it leads to bone loss. Though meat, poultry and fish are very good sources but they are not the only sources of calcium rich foods. Vegetarians can get calcium from many sources including:
Dairy: Milk, curd and cheese are rich sources of calcium. Milk has calcium in a form that can be easily digested and absorbed by the body. Curd and cheese are also loaded with calcium. You can add cheese to your salads or have it in cooked form. It benefits the body as a whole and is mostly known for improving the calcium level. It promotes bone growth in children, while also maintaining the bone strength in adult. It is one of best among all calcium rich foods.
Olives benefits for health skin and hair
Oranges: Oranges are an incredible source of bone-strengthening calcium. One orange has up to 60 mg of calcium. Oranges are not only rich in calcium but also contain vitamin D that is essential to absorb the calcium in the body. Have an orange as a mid-morning or evening snack.
Dates: Dates are rich sources of calcium, iron and fiber. Each date contains around 15mg of calcium. Add 4-5 dates to a glass of milk or have them as a mid-day snack.
Nature’s Way Extra Virgin Organic Coconut Oil
Almonds: Almonds aren’t the first thing most people think of when they’re looking to increase their calcium intake. But think again: a half-cup serving of tasty almonds contains 183 milligrams of calcium, or 18% of the recommended value for the day. In addition to helping strengthen your bones, almonds promote weight control, colon health, and heart health almonds are high on protein which means they keep you full for longer. Almonds are also loaded with vitamin E and calcium and one readily available calcium rich foods. Each nut gives about 70-80 mg of calcium. So, chew on just a handful of nuts to get a boost of calcium.
White Beans – White beans are known by many for their high fiber, but they bring several other health benefits to the table with folic acid and other essential vitamins. Just a half cup of these subtly flavorful legumes provides about 100 milligrams of calcium, enough to fulfill 10% of your recommended intake for the day. Beans are versatile and delicious, so it’s easy to incorporate them into any meal. White bean refers to any bean that is white or off-white in color. Half a cup of these beans can give you as much as 100 mg of calcium. So have a bowl of boiled beans 2-3 times a week to get your dose of calcium.
Dove Purely Pampering Beauty Bar, Coconut Milk with Jasmine Petals
Figs: Figs are rich sources of calcium and iron. Moreover, they have very high fiber content. You can have figs when they are in season or buy them in dried form and add them to your breakfast cereals, salads or smoothies.
Broccoli – For a healthy, balanced diet, you should be eating plenty of cruciferous vegetables. Broccoli, in particular, is great for bone health, as it contains high levels of calcium and vitamin K. These are both essential for bone health, bone strength, and the prevention of osteoporosis. Adding broccoli to your diet can also improve your blood pressure, immune system, and heart health 100 grams of this wonder vegetable can give you 47 mg of calcium. Broccoli offers high levels of immune system-boosting vitamin C, bone-strengthening vitamin K, and folate, which plays a strategic role in regulating cell growth.
