Consumption of calcium-rich foods ensures replenishment of the calcium lost by our body. Go through this article and find a list of foods high in calcium.

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Calcium Rich Foods

Calcium is an essential mineral, which plays a major role in the growth and development of an individual, especially children. Apart from being necessary for building strong bones and teeth, it aids clotting of blood as well as functioning of nerves. The most-abundant mineral found in a human body, calcium gets eliminated from the body on a daily basis. In fact, out body loses around 1/3rd of its calcium in a day. Therefore, it is necessary to consume calcium rich foods or supplements on a regular basis. Usually, a deficiency in calcium can lead to frequent muscle cramps, numbness in toes, fingers and muscles, lethargy, loss of appetite, abnormal heart rates, excessive sweating and convulsions. Conversely, a person who has excessive calcium in the body, might develop kidney stones, will generally have soft body tissue, excessive fat and are at a higher risk of vascular diseases such as heart attacks and strokes. Given below is a list of foods that are high in calcium. Ensure that you make them a part of your everyday diet, but make sure you consume it in the right amount and in accordance to your body type. Explore this article further.  
 
List Of Foods High In Calcium
 
Calcium Rich Foods
  • Almonds
  • Anchovies
  • Baked beans
  • Banana
  • Black Turtle beans
  • Blackstrap molasses
  • Bok Choy
  • Brazil Nuts
  • Broccoli
  • Brussels sprouts
  • Cabbage
  • Calcium-fortified bread
  • Calcium-fortified breakfast cereal
  • Calcium-fortified orange juice
  • Calcium-fortified soy milk
  • Cheese
  • Chickpeas (Chhole)
  • Collard greens
  • Collards
  • Cowpeas
  • Eggnog
  • Flax Seeds
  • Grape leaves
  • Herring
  • Kale
  • Lotus seeds
  • Milk
  • Milk Chocolate
  • Navy beans
  • Ocean perch
  • Okra
  • Peas
  • Rhubarb
  • Salmon
  • Sardines
  • Sesame seeds
  • Shrimp
  • Spinach
  • Tofu
  • Turnip greens
  • White beans
  • Whitebait
  • Yogurt
 
Recommended Daily Allowance
Men: 1200 mg (age 15-24) and 800 mg (age 25-upwards)
Women: 1200 mg age 15-24) and 800 mg (age 25-upwards)
Pregnant/Nursing Women: 1200 mg
Children: 500 mg (age 1-3), 800 mg (ages 4-8), 1300 (ages 9-15)
 
Calcium Health Benefits
  • One of the main health benefits of calcium is that it is used by the body, to overcome high blood pressure, heart attack, premenstrual syndrome and colon cancer. 
  • A common benefit of calcium, known by almost each and every person, is that it helps keeps the bones healthy and strong and is very necessary for the overall development of a growing child.
  • Calcium has been known to facilitate the movement of nutrients across cell membranes in the human body.
  • Calcium is good for those suffering from osteoporosis as well as back pain, as it helps strengthen the bones and keeps them healthy.
  • Calcium has been known to be helpful in keeping a check on the blood pressure and aiding muscle contraction as well.
  • Another benefit is that there is reduced risk of cancer. Several observational studies link that a higher intake of calcium could reduce the chances of colon cancer and various other types of cancerous growth.
 
 
Health Risks Of Excessive Intake
  • Studies show that with a higher intake of calcium or a calcium overdose could lead to a build-up of vitamin D, which is directly associated with increased risk of kidney stones. Increased calcium intake could also increase your chances of contracting hyperparathyroidism.
  • Extremely high intake of calcium could lead to increased cardiovascular diseases.
  • Excessive intake of calcium could lead to the decrease of a couple of these properties in the body—Phenytoin, tiludronate, bisphosphonates and levothyroxine.
 
People At A Risk Of Calcium Deficiency
  • Pregnant women
  • Pre-menopausal women
  • Lactose intolerant people
  • Diabetic patients
  • Vegans and certain vegetarians
In addition to having adequate amounts of calcium in your diet, it is also important to exercise regularly for healthy bones and proper growth. Always make sure to have calcium rich foods in moderation and according to your body type, because anything, when had in excess, could be potentially dangerous. Apart from calcium rich foods, you could also have calcium supplements to restore the calcium levels in the body. Go through this article one more time to know the different types of calcium-rich foods. If you are still unsure of what to eat according to your body type, you may want to consult your doctor or nutritionist to work out a diet plan that will suit your body the best. If you are lactose intolerant, maybe non-dairy foods like sardines, rhubarb and tofu can help supplement your body with the necessary calcium dose.

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