Many people think that calcium is important to take only in childhood. Indeed, we tell the kids which product contains calcium, emphasizing that the skeleton, spine and bones are being formed right now. However, as a person grows up, calcium does not lose its crucial importance for the functioning of all organs and systems. Thanks to him, we have strong teeth and tight nails, calcium is involved in complex biochemical reactions, ensures blood coagulation and regulates the activity of enzymes. This track record of calcium does not end there; it contributes to cell nutrition, participates in muscle contraction and relaxation, and transmission of nerve impulses. The concept of osteoporosis is very familiar to an elderly person, when calcium ceases to be absorbed by the body, bones become brittle and brittle. That is, the body needs this element throughout life. Let's take a look at which product has calcium and how to use them correctly.
Plant Sources of Calcium
Despite the fact that for many calcium is associated with milk, most of it is found in plant foods. So, vegetarians are not so lost with the choice of the most important foods for food. Leading among them are legumes - this is beans and soy, peas and lentils. Many do not like them because of increased gas formation in the intestines, but nutritionists advise to eat them a little bit at least several times a week. An additional source of this important element may be poppy, sesame or almonds, but because of their high calorie content, they cannot be the basis of nutrition. If you are looking for which product contains calcium, but don’t tolerate legumes, then pay attention to the following group of products.
Vegetables and fruits: an invaluable health pantry
Honey is rich in calcium, so do not bypass this beekeeping product. Of the gifts of our garden and garden, pay the most attention to apples, gooseberries and strawberries, citrus fruits, apricots, cherries and peaches, grapes, currants, pineapples and blackberries. It’s very easy for a child to explain which product contains calcium; it’s enough to take him to the country for the whole summer. Despite the fact that the calcium content in vegetables and fruits is not too high, thanks to vitamins and minerals it is absorbed very easily. A big plus is that we can consume these products in large quantities. Parsley, cabbage, watercress, rosehip contain at least 200 mg per 100 g of product. A useful source will be any greens, young nettles and sea kale. Using natural products, it is impossible to overdose vitamins and minerals, but artificially mineralized water must be consumed carefully. When you visit a supermarket, you can track for yourself which product contains calcium, and its content will be indicated.
Milk and Dairy Products
Cottage cheese, cheese, feta cheese, kefir are the most important sources of nutrients. If a person is allergic to lactose, he will look for what foods have calcium, except dairy, in all other cases they should be eaten as often as possible. At the same time, milk is not its richest source. It is much more correct to use cottage cheese for food, the calcium content in it is much higher. A separate issue is women who follow a diet. The process of weight loss does not cancel the body's need for calcium. Today, a line of low-fat dairy products is on the market. This milk, kefir and cottage cheese, there are also cheeses with a low fat content, and the amount of calcium in them remains unchanged.
Protein Products
We continue to talk about which foods have calcium. The list is supplemented by sources of protein indispensable for our body, these are meat and fish, eggs. Today, various weight loss programs are trendy, and people try to consume less animal products. This is only partially correct: fatty beef is really not suitable for daily consumption, but chicken breast gives 50 mg of calcium for every 100 g of product. Moreover, the calorie content of this product is very low.
Maternity Diet
The period of intrauterine development of the baby is a big burden on the mother's body. In addition to the fact that calcium is required to maintain the functioning of your own body, large expenses are spent on the formation of the skeleton. Therefore, information about which foods contain calcium is very important for pregnant women . However, an excess of this element is not at all useful, everything is good in moderation. The diet of the expectant mother should include approximately 1.5 g of calcium per day. This is about 200 g of low-fat cottage cheese, a glass of kefir, 200 ml of milk and 50 g of cheese. You can replace the dairy menu by including 200 g of chicken breast, 200 g of fresh herbs or leafy vegetables, nuts, fish, berries, dried fruits, yolks, beans and rye bread in the diet.
What foods promote calcium absorption
It is no secret to anyone that for the normal assimilation of one element in the diet, others must be present. So, without vitamin D, calcium is absorbed much worse. This amazing vitamin is produced under the influence of sunlight. During the warm season, the body does not lack in it. When autumn comes, vitamin D-rich foods come in handy. These are egg yolks, dairy products, butter, and oily fish.
But this is not all that the body needs to fully absorb calcium. Vitamins B, A, E, and C are also very important. Let's see which foods have magnesium and calcium. These are all legumes and many cereals, especially buckwheat and millet. A valuable source of these substances are nuts, cumin, milk, spinach and salad. Rye bread is rich in magnesium and calcium .
Substances that interfere with calcium absorption
Almost all products contain this element. However, it must be remembered that excess salt completely blocks the absorption of magnesium and calcium. In turn, caffeine greatly impairs the absorption of vitamin D3. As you already know, cereals and bread contain phytin, which interferes with the absorption of calcium. Based on this, sandwiches can not be considered healthy food, it is better to eat cheese and bread separately. Porridge with milk also does not contribute to the full absorption of all nutrients, so it’s better to cook cereals in water.
To summarize
Finally, we will additionally tell you about where there is calcium. What products contain it the most, we have already noted, now we will list additional sources. This is milk powder and cream, cream cheese and condensed milk. A large amount of calcium contains walnuts and hazelnuts, such a treat as cream ice cream. Of the drinks, this is tea and coffee beans, cocoa powder. Do not forget about canned food in oil, raisins, garlic, carrots and beets. The following will appeal to lovers of delicacies: it turns out that calcium contains mushrooms, sausages and sausages. All vegetables and fruits, berries, including watermelons and melons, also contain this element in small quantities. Thus, with the right approach, there are no problems with a lack of calcium, almost every product that can be attributed to a healthy diet contains one or another of its quantity.