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Plant sources of calcium

Plant sources of calcium

Mireia Cervera 04 August 2022

Foods rich in calcium cannot be missing from our diet. But are there plant foods rich in it? It is perfectly possible to obtain from foods of plant origin the amount of calcium that our body needs daily. Discoverin this post all the information about it.

Given the importance of bones, it is essential that we maintain their health, and for this we cannot lack calcium in our diet. This micronutrient is by far themost abundant mineral in our body, making up about 2% of our total body weight. For example, a man weighing about 70 kg has approximately more than 1 kilogram of calcium in his body. Thus, to avoid the declinereduction of bone density and prevent the onset of osteoporosis (a disease in which bones become weak and break easily), in addition to maintaining healthy lifestyle habits, the most appropriate thing is to follow a good dietn, in which you can not miss foods rich in this mineral.

When you are intolerant to dairy products or you have chosen not to consume them voluntarily, we must look for other sources rich in this mineral. In these cases it will be importantTry to eat a diet rich in plant-based foods. YES, although there is the belief, almost the urban legend, that the only sources of calcium are milk and its derivatives, this is not the case, since there are a great variety of fuvegetable entities of calcium . It is true that the oxalates present in vegetables can hinder their absorption, but they are still a good source of calcium ; such as legumes -particularly soybeans-, vegetablesleafy greens, nuts, seeds, and some fresh and dried fruits, such as figs.

As we say, legumes are a source of calcium . Although the calcium in legumes is not fully absorbed, these foods can help cover the daily quota of this mineral, especially in vegetarian diets.ianas. Soy, especially, is a good source of calcium , offering 200 mg of the mineral per 100 grams. But beware! Soy milk is not a significant source of calcium unless it has been fortified (less10 mg per 100 grams).

Green leafy vegetables, especially those of the Bracease family, such as kale, collard greens, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower andKale (does that sound like part of the name of a super trendy restaurant? Exactly, Flax & Kale !), Are good sources of calcium . And the bioavailability of calcium inthese vegetables is relatively high. A generous serving of these vegetables provides as much calcium as 1 glass of milk. The kale especially, which gives us 135 milligrams of Flax & Kale , we serve a salad of this vegetable that, while you will be crazy about it, will make your bones hard like Carr's marbleara). In addition, these vegetables are also an excellent source of vitamin K, potassium and magnesium, other important components in the metabolism of calcium and for the maintenance of the good state of the bones.

Nuts in general are full of beneficial nutrients for the body, and in some the calcium content is considerable. Within all the varieties of nuts that we have at our disposalon; almonds take the cake, as far as this mineral is concerned, every 100 grams, 250 mg of calcium . Walnuts, hazelnuts and pistachios, without being at the level of almonds, are also dried fruits with a quantity remrcable of this miconutrient.

Changing the third, another plant source to take into account of this mineral is the seeds , especially those of poppy and sesame, which have a large amount of this micronutrient and that only cWith 5 small teaspoons, they can reach the calcium level of a glass of milk. Chia, hemp, and flax seeds are also rich in this mineral, but in smaller quantities, but no less significant for that.Therefore, just by using some of them to add to salads, toasts and healthy bowls, we can obtain a great supply of mineral for the body.

There are different vegetable sources of calcium: vegetables, fruits, nuts, algae ...

Fruits can also offer us this micronutrient when we consume them, but not all of them have appreciable amounts. Among the fresh fruits, those that have more of this mineral in their composition would be figs and figs, the naranja, kiwi and raspberries, which would average around 80 mg of calcium per serving. So, when you feel like snacking on something sweet between meals, dried figs, for example, with their juiciness and sweetness, are a snack perfect for the palate and our bones will thank us, since 50 grams cover 10% of the daily requirements.

But pay attention! As important is the consumption of foods rich in calcium as avoid, omit, reduce or if possible eliminate those habits that tend to "vilely steal" this precious micronutrient to preserve our bone density such as the consumption of tobacco, alcohol, excess salt, sugar, red meat, refined cerealsand cola.

In summary: do not trust your entire pro-calcium strategy to dairy products, there are infinite options in the plant world that are the same or even healthier.

In addition, take moderate sun baths to improveRaising your vitamin D levels, breathe fresh air and do physical activity, it will help you strengthen your muscles and increase bone mass.

Mireia Cervera Nutritionist Teresa Carles Healthy Foods Group - Flax & Kale