Calcium is an essential mineral that makes up the structure of our bones and teeth. It also plays a role in everything from blood clotting to muscle contraction, nerve function, hormone secretion, and heart rhythm. Calcium deficiency can lead to osteoporosis (a disease that causes bones to become brittle and weak), osteoarthritis (a degenerative joint disease), hypertension (high blood pressure), diabetes mellitus (type 2 diabetes), asthma, and other respiratory problems. In this article we will discuss everything you need to know about calcium - where it comes from, why it's important for your body, how much you should take per day...and more!
What is calcium?
Calcium is an essential mineral that plays a key role in maintaining bone strength and muscle function. Calcium also helps with blood clotting, nerve transmission, hormone secretion, and cell division.
In addition to these functions within the body's cells, calcium is vital to building and maintaining strong bones; without sufficient amounts of this mineral, you could develop osteoporosis later in life--a condition characterized by brittle bones that can break easily due to lack of flexibility or density.
Why is calcium important for our bodies?
Calcium is a mineral that's essential for the normal development and maintenance of bones and teeth. It also plays a role in blood clotting, muscle contraction, nerve signaling, and other functions such as blood pressure regulation.
The body cannot make calcium on its own; it must come from foods we eat or supplements (if you take one). The best sources of calcium are dairy products (milk) and dark leafy greens (collard greens).
How does the body process calcium?
To understand how calcium works, it's important to know how the body absorbs and stores it. Calcium is an essential mineral that plays a role in many functions of the body, including:
- building bones and teeth
- maintaining muscle tone
- regulating nerve impulses (including those that cause muscles to contract)
The human body needs about 1 gram of elemental calcium per day. This amount can be obtained from a wide variety of foods, including dairy products like milk or yogurt; leafy greens such as broccoli; fish with soft bones like sardines or salmon; nuts such as almonds and cashews; beans like navy or kidney beans; tofu made with calcium sulfate (not soy sauce); fortified cereals like Cheerios
The amount absorbed depends on where you get your daily dose--about 40% if taken with food compared to only 10%-15% when taken alone without food sources nearby.
What about our diet should we be aware of?
As you may know, calcium is a mineral that helps us build strong bones and teeth. It also helps our muscles, heart, and nerves function properly. Calcium also helps blood clot so if you cut yourself, the wound will stop bleeding more quickly.
Calcium is found in many foods including dairy products like milk and cheese; kale, broccoli, and almonds; dark leafy greens such as collard greens or spinach; beans such as black beans or chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans) legumes such as tofu
How much calcium do we need each day?
The recommended daily allowance (RDA) for calcium is 1,000 milligrams (mg) a day for adults ages 19-50. The RDA increases to 1,200 mg per day for those 51 and older.
- The amount of calcium in different foods varies widely; the best sources are dairy products such as milk, yogurt, and cheese. Other good sources include salmon with bones--the bones contain most of the calcium--and tofu made with calcium sulfate.
- Most people can easily absorb only about 500 mg at one time from food or supplements because their stomachs cannot hold more than that amount at one time without becoming upset by too much acidity from digesting all this food at once! So if you're having trouble getting enough through diet alone then consider adding some extra supplementation into your routine so that you don't fall short on this essential nutrient!
Do supplements provide us with an adequate amount of calcium?
Supplements are a good way to ensure that you're getting an adequate amount of calcium in your diet, but they do not provide the same benefits as eating enough food.
If you are not getting enough calcium in your diet, it is important to take supplements for optimal bone health. The recommended daily amount for adults ages 19-50 years old is 1000 mg per day (1 gram). If you exercise regularly or have been diagnosed with osteoporosis or osteopenia, then it's recommended that you increase this amount further by 1,200mg/day until age 70 years old when the recommendation drops back down again (1).
Can I get enough calcium from my diet alone?
Calcium is found in a variety of foods, including dairy products, leafy greens, and fish. It's also found in nuts and seeds, tofu, and other soy products.
In addition to these dietary sources of calcium--which are also rich in other nutrients (like protein) that help build bone--you can get additional calcium from supplements if you cannot get enough from your diet alone. However, not all supplements are created equal; some may not be absorbed as well as others because they don't contain enough vitamin D or magnesium (both essential for optimal absorption).
If you choose to take a supplement rather than consuming more natural sources of this mineral-rich substance through food sources alone (or if you have trouble digesting milk products), ask your doctor which form would work best for your unique needs!
Takeaway:
- Calcium is an essential mineral that helps to build and maintain strong bones.
- Our bodies need calcium to keep our blood pressure in check, too.
- It's also important for maintaining healthy teeth and preventing cavities!
- The best sources of calcium include dairy products like milk or yogurt; leafy greens like spinach or collard greens; some fish such as salmon (not canned) with bones or sardines packed in water rather than oil; almonds (raw), cashews, Brazil nuts, and sesame seeds all have small amounts of this nutrient as well.
- If you don't get enough from food sources alone then talk with your doctor about taking a supplement--but make sure not to overdo it! Taking more than 1,000 milligrams per day could result in side effects such as constipation or kidney stones so it's always best to err on the side of caution when considering adding supplements into your diet plan."
Conclusion
If you're worried about your calcium intake, there are plenty of ways to get it. You can eat more foods that are high in calcium, take supplements if necessary and make sure that your diet is varied enough so that you don't miss out on any nutrients.
