Mineral substances take part in all human life processes. The body contains about 70 different minerals. Mostly they enter the body with food, but with an unbalanced diet, often there is a lack of one of them. In this case, various pathologies develop. Most often they talk about a lack of calcium. This microelement is necessary for the correct course of many biochemical processes, the health 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 have enough calcium. Therefore, its disadvantage is often observed.
The value of calcium for the body
Calcium carbonate is also known as chalk. This mineral is one of the most abundant in nature. It is found in soil, water, and also contains calcium 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 course of many biological processes. Almost all of it is contained in bones, being their main building element. 1% is in the teeth and circulates in the same amount in the blood, participating in the work of the muscles and heart. Calcium is necessary for the processes of nerve impulses, blood coagulation. He is also involved in creating immune defenses and maintaining acid-base balance.
Daily calcium requirement
For normal functioning of the body, a strictly defined amount of calcium must be in the blood. When it decreases, replenishment comes from food. If calcium is not enough in the products, the body replenishes the balance due to its reserves in the bone tissue. As a result of this, various pathologies can develop. Not only bones, but also teeth, muscles, and nervous system suffer from the deficiency of this microelement. To avoid this, you need to consume 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 for sports, nervous overload, taking certain medications or for diseases accompanied by a large loss of fluid increases. More calcium is required during puberty, during pregnancy and breastfeeding. There are such norms of 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 foods
Since this mineral is quite common and is present in water and soil, it is abundant in various foods. In addition to the recognized supplier 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 balanced and varied, there will be no calcium deficiency.
But it is worth considering that this mineral is not always completely absorbed from various food products. For example, cheese contains a lot of it, but it is poorly digested. In some green vegetables, oxalic acid interferes with the absorption of calcium. Scientists have found that on average, a person receives 300-500 mg of this mineral with food. Therefore, so often there are signs of a lack of it.
Which foods have the most calcium?
It is well known that the main supplier of this mineral to the body is dairy products. But there are also less well-known sources of it, and it can be even more in them than in milk. Especially you need to know in which foods there is a lot of calcium for those who suffer from lactose intolerance. They cannot make up for its deficiency with milk. But calcium can be obtained from other products:
- Most of this mineral is found in sesame seeds. Therefore, this product must be eaten by those who have a lack of calcium in the blood. Only 100 grams of sesame seeds supply the body from 700 mg to 1 gram of this trace element. They are recommended to be added not only to pastries, but also to cereals, salads.
- You should also include poppy seeds in your diet. They also have a lot of calcium.
- In wheat, this mineral is also there. But when the flour is ground, it remains 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, cucumber grass.
- A lot of calcium in sardines. And they are better to eat in the form of canned food, along with softened bones. Per 100 g of product, they contain 370 mg of calcium.
Milk products
It is well known that milk, fermented baked milk, cottage cheese, kefir and yogurt are very healthy. They have long been included in the compulsory diet of children. And modern research has confirmed that these are products 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 foods that have an average fat content, with 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 kefir per day. Most of it is in cottage cheese or hard cheese. But calcium is poorly absorbed from cheese.
Other calcium containing foods
This mineral can also be obtained from other foods. For example, in vegetables and fruits there is less calcium than in milk, but they are constantly present in the human diet, so using them it is easy to fill in its deficiency. Especially a lot of it in green vegetables. Moreover, cabbage, parsley, lettuce and green onions contain it in the optimal ratio with phosphorus. A lot of calcium is also found in pumpkin, carrots, garlic, apples. Moreover, it is quite well absorbed from these products. But spinach and sorrel, although rich in calcium, can not be considered its source. After all, oxalic acid slows down its absorption.
A lot of this mineral is also found 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 rate of the mineral. Oatmeal is recommended for breakfast. Its plate contains 20% of the daily norm of calcium. And for vegetarians or people with lactose intolerance, regular milk can be replaced with soy.
Some calcium is found in fish and seafood, especially in mackerel, sardines, and shrimp. But in meat and eggs it is not enough. The more it is processed, the less this mineral. In semi-finished calcium, only about 10 mg per 100 g.
Assimilation of this mineral
It’s not enough to know which foods have calcium. Even if they are consumed regularly in sufficient quantities, this does not mean that the entire mineral is absorbed from them. A lack of calcium can be observed even in people trying to eat right. After all, for its assimilation some other microelements are necessary. First of all, it's fats. Therefore, those who choose low-fat dairy products cannot get calcium from them. A sufficient amount of 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 go into an inorganic form, which is absorbed worse. This mineral is excreted from the body with excessive consumption of coffee, carbonated drinks with severe sweating or the use of diuretics.
In addition, age affects calcium absorption. In children, up to 50% of the mineral contained in foods is absorbed. And with age, this ability is lost. People after 45 years absorb only 15% of calcium.
Calcium deficiency
Despite the fact that this mineral is quite common, recently various pathologies are developing more and more often due to its lack. Their cause may be not only a small amount of calcium in food, but also a violation of its absorption. Moreover, he will gradually be washed out of the bones, leading to the development of serious diseases. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to signs of calcium deficiency in time. In this case, a person can feel the following symptoms:
- hair loss, they are dull and brittle;
- chronic fatigue, severe fatigue;
- dry skin, brittle nails;
- hypersensitivity of tooth enamel, predisposition to caries;
- frequent cramps, muscle cramps;
- constipation
- bleeding gums;
- decreased immunity.
Lack of calcium can affect heart function. Heart failure, arrhythmia develops, there may be fluctuations in blood pressure. If these symptoms are ignored, the body will make up for the lack of calcium from the bones. Often because of this, osteoporosis develops - a decrease in bone density. The bones become fragile, begin to deform, the functioning of the joints is disrupted.
How to make up for a lack of calcium
Most often, to compensate for the deficiency of this microelement, 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.
There are other ways to make up for calcium deficiency. For example, include ground egg shells in the diet. It must be taken from well washed and boiled eggs. Grind the shell 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 needs to 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. Therefore, most often there is a shortage of it. But you 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, there is a strong thirst;
- urination becomes more frequent, calcium salts are found in the urine;
- the rhythm of the heart is broken;
- low blood pressure;
- there is heartburn, flatulence, constipation;
- kidney stones may form.
- salts are deposited in the tissues, most often in the joints.
Calcium is a very important mineral for human health. To get it in sufficient quantity, you need to eat varied and balanced. And calcium preparations, which have become popularly taken recently, can be drunk only at the dosage recommended by the doctor.