Getting enough calcium in your diet is essential for healthy bones, including your teeth. For many, though, a glass of milk is either unpalatable or difficult to digest. Thankfully, there are plenty of foods that also provide this essential nutrient.
Top Foods
Getting enough greens in your diet can get you the calcium you need. Look for things like kale, okra, broccoli & collard greens. Oranges & figs are good fruits to keep in the mix as well. These vegetables & fruits are also a great source of other vitamins, so you can check a lot of boxes with just a few servings a day.
Nuts & beans are also a great source of calcium. White beans & almonds are among the top of the list. In addition to calcium, these foods also have a good amount of protein, which is especially great for vegetarians & vegans.
Finally, some fish are fairly rich in calcium. Sardines & anchovies are best. In addition, shellfish like crab & shrimp can be high in calcium.
What Calcium Does for the Body
Calcium is one of the main minerals needed for strong bones. It is also the most abundant mineral in our bodies but it is something we cannot produce internally with other nutrients. Therefore, we need to regularly consume it to keep our body healthy.
Calcium does several things for us & one of those is bone mineralization. In our teeth & bones, this helps keep them hard by strengthening outer layers, such as toward the enamel in teeth, without making them brittle. Without calcium, our bones break easier & our teeth may weaken enough to chip or break under stresses they could normally tolerate.
Calcium also helps regulate our muscles, nerves & heart. When our body doesn’t have enough calcium to do these things, it scavenges it from our bones, which snowballs the debilitating effect of not getting enough in your diet.
How Much Is Enough
Generally, most adults should consume 1,000 to 1,300 milligrams of calcium a day. Children vary depending on their age & range 200 milligrams in babies to 1,300 milligrams in teens.
Many packaged foods show the amount of calcium on their health labels & several countries require these to be on packages. In addition, there are several tables online that can help you determine how much calcium is in an average serving for things like fruits, nuts & fish.
Your dentist can also help you ensure you get enough calcium in your diet. Talk to them at your next appointment to get a personalized plan to keep your teeth & your body healthy & strong.
Sources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6316542/
https://www.nutritionix.com/list/which-seafood-has-the-most-calcium/zDoKXD
https://www.health.com/nutrition/14-non-dairy-foods-that-are-high-in-calcium
Call us today with any questions or to book your appointment!
Sugar Land: 713-774-9774
