If we talk about the importance of calcium in the body, the topic can go endlessly. But it is important as well to discuss the significance of calcium, and what is the importance of calcium in the body?
We know calcium to be as one of the most vital minerals in our body, which is plentiful in our body. What makes our bones and teeth strong? When calcium combines with phosphate, it helps to strengthen our teeth and bones. Not only this, calcium is needed for transmitting nerve impulses, clotting blood and contracting muscles.
Calcium is an essential mineral for our blood and tissues, and therefore our body regulates calcium in the blood and tissues. Calcium is either excreted by our kidneys or it is absorbed by our intestine.
In case the calcium level falls in our blood, our glands signal the bones to release calcium into the blood. And therefore, it is good to add calcium in your diet to maintain the calcium level in our body.
How calcium gets absorbed in our blood?
Calcium and vitamin – D work together to get absorbed into the blood. Calcium interacts with vitamin – D and then make their way through the stomach to intestines and then into the bloodstream.
Vitamin – D is important for us because, without a sufficient amount of Vitamin – D, our body will not be able to absorb the calcium.
Children are in their growing age need a lot of calcium to build strong bones while growing up.
When children achieve peak bone mass, the calcium recommended daily allowance reduces again.
This RDA increase during the age of menopause when females decline estrogen level and lose bone mass.
As we age, it is hard to obtain calcium metabolism and therefore our recommended daily allowance remains the same.
| Life stage group | Calcium RDA | Calcium-rich servings | Vitamin DRDA |
| 9–18 years old | 1,300 | 4 | 600 |
| 19–50 years old | 1,000 | 3 | 600 |
| MEN: 51–70 years old | 1,000 | 3 | 600 |
| WOMEN: 51–70 years old | 1,200 | 4 | 600 |
| 71+ years old | 1200 | 4 | 800 |
Most of the time, it is best to consume calcium in the form of food because natural sources are always best for us. The way to get calcium is to get it from dietary calcium foods that contain 200 and more milligrams per servings.
However, you can find calcium in fruits, nuts, seeds and vegetables but the calcium which is there is in a small amount. And as we know fruits, vegetables have fiber in it, and therefore calcium attaches to the fiber passes through our system along with the fiber.
| HIGH(200+ mg) | MODERATE(50-200 mg) | LOW(<50 mg) |
| Dairy Foods | Almonds | Nuts and seeds |
| Sardines | Beans | Broccoli |
| Fortified cereals | Canned salmon | Cabbage |
| Fortified soy milk | Green vegetables | Fruits |
| Fortified tofu | Breads |
What about people who are lactose intolerant?
People who are lactose intolerant are prone to get calcium deficiency and to get out of this issue they can work on reducing the symptoms of lactose intolerance.
Like, instead of avoiding lactose completely, they can reduce the amount of lactose per serving.
As per studies, people who are lactose intolerant can consume 12 grams of lactose which is 1 cup of milk and this applies to people with severe and minor symptoms.
If you take lactose in a small amount with other foods, some people can tolerate nearly 18 grams of lactose.
Also, you can buy lactose-free milk, this type of milk is treated with lactase and it is widely available in the market. Also, lactose-intolerant people can go for more green vegetables, seeds, nuts and fruits to get calcium from nature. It is better to have some calcium than nothing.
You can also go for curd and yoghurt because curd and yoghurt cause less trouble than other dairy options. These “added milk solids” or “whey” contain less amount of lactose, and therefore it is not a bad option for lactose-intolerant people.
Another thing that comes under this list is hard cheese like Parmigiano-Reggiano, cheddars, and Romano. These hard cheeses do not have lactose and as the cheese ages, their lactose changes into lactic acid.
You can also try soy-based drinks that contain calcium, also they are a plant-based option so if you are a vegetarian then it even better.
Other things that you can consume to have calcium are almond beverages and rice, these are also plant-and nut-based beverages.
Always read the food labels to check the nutritional value carefully.
In case, you do not have any issues like lactose intolerance or any type of foods allergy, just make sure you eat a balanced diet every day and you would not face any types of deficiency.
Having a balanced diet will naturally take care of your body, and you will maintain healthy and strong bones and muscles.