According to the Mayo Clinic, your body needs calcium to help build and maintain strong bones. This may be a surprise to you but calcium is also needed for the proper functioning of the heart, muscles and nerves. In a recent study conducted by Health Canada “Do Canadian Adults Meet Their Nutrient Requirements Through Food Intake Alone?” Health Canada involved a particular sample of the general population and they stated, “As for calcium, both males and females over 19 years have a prevalence of inadequate intakes ranging from 26.5% to 80.1 % (males) and 47.5% to 86.9% (females), respectively. Trends in both sexes showed an increasing prevalence of calcium inadequacy with older age.” Calcium comes from a lot of sources of food and offers a lot of benefits to our body.
Here are some benefits of adding and keeping calcium in your diet:
- It can help with weight loss
- Fights colon cancer and many other cancers
- Reduces the risk of type II diabetes
- Improves fertility
- Helps combat PMS symptoms
- Keeps mouth healthy, promotes good oral hygiene
- Prevents osteoporosis
- Strengthens bones
- Prevents kidney stones
- Controls blood pressure
Calcium is found in a host of foods that you wouldn’t necessarily know it to be present:
- Of course dairy, which include: milk, cheese and yogurt
- White beans
- Canned salmon
- Sardines
- Dry figs
- Bok choy
- Blackstrap molasses
- Almonds
- Black eyed peas
- Oranges
Recommended Calcium Intake
Infants 0-6 months – 200mg
Infants 7-12 months – 260mg
Children 1-3 years – 700mg
Children 4-8 years – 1000mg
Children 9-18 years – 1300mg
Adults 19-50 years – 1000mg
Adults 51-70 years
- Men – 1000mg
- Women – 1200mg
Adults > 70 years – 1200mg
For more information we suggest you check out these articles:
https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/minerals/calcium.html
http://www.sheknows.com/health-and-wellness/articles/822335/5-benefits-of-calcium
http://greatist.com/health/18-surprising-dairy-free-sources-calcium
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/nutrition/vitamin/vita-d-eng.php
