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Foods High in Calcium: Calcium Deficiency Symptoms

Foods Containing Calcium

There are many common foods high in calcium that most people know about, such as diary products and some fish. But did you know there are other food sources where calcium is found in higher quantities than in dairy? It’s true.

Where is calcium found? Let’s find out.

List of Calcium Rich Foods

Calcium Foods:

Dairy products – milk, yogurt, cheese
Fish and shellfish – salmon, sardines
Almonds – a half a cup of raw almonds has more calcium than a cup of milk
Dark leafy greens
Oranges
Sesame seeds (seeds must be crushed)
Black strap molasses
Dried Beans

Calcium Deficiency Symptoms

An inadequate calcium supply happens when too little is eaten and absorbed, or if too much is lost. Individuals at risk of calcium deficiency are growing infants, children, adolescents, pregnant and nursing women. Also at risk are postmenopausal women. Women who are going through or passed menopause suffer from loss of bone density.

People that smoke, drink too much alcohol, and or caffeine-laden drinks lose calcium at a higher rate. Osteoporosis and calcium go hand in hand. Women are more susceptible than men to having bone loss later in life.

This is because the growing baby in the womb takes much of their calcium supply from them. So be sure to eat foods high in calcium every single day, especially if pregnant.

The Effects of Osteoporosis

Calcium is essential for healthy bone growth and health of the bones later on in life. Without adequate amounts of calcium, bones would become brittle and weak. After menopause, women stop producing calcium. Therefore, they need to eat even more foods high in calcium than the general population.

Nutritionists recommend eating lots of foods high in calcium such as dark leafy greens and yogurt. It is suggested that women over 40-years of age consume 1,500 milligrams of calcium per day. Just to give you an idea of how much that is, take a look at three food items I have suggested for some of your daily calcium needs.

Whole orange or glass of orange juice – 54 mgs
8 oz glass of cow’s milk – 297 mgs
½ cup of almonds (15 to 20 almonds) – 325 mgs

Total calcium intake from the three foods above is 676 mgs of calcium, which is almost half of your daily needs. Combined with the three foods I mentioned, eating a dark leafy green salad, a yogurt, and some fish would most likely give you all of your calcium needs for a day.

There are not any calcium side effects from food. But if you take calcium supplements, it’s probably a good idea to not take more than the recommended daily amount.

And don’t forget too that many of the foods you eat have calcium in them and so you will not need to take 1,500 mg of calcium in a supplement. It is best to receive your vitamins from food.

For calcium to absorb into your system efficiently, the body needs to have proper amounts of Vitamin D. The best way to receive your vitamin D is from pure sunshine on your skin, sunbathing! That’s right. In moderation, the sun is excellent for your health. Moderation is 15 to 30 minutes a day without wearing sunscreen.

Corrected calcium absorption would go without saying. Make sure that your body has the correct amounts of vitamin D to be able to process calcium efficiently within your body. Food sources of vitamin D are cod liver oil, salmon, shrimp, fortified cows milk, and boiled eggs.

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