Calcium is an extremely important mineral for every human body. It has lots of benefits and sometimes you don’t understand its importance until you get health problems due to insufficient amounts of calcium. And by then it might be too late to remedy the problem efficiently. This is why you should treat this problem with seriousness.
Why is calcium important?
You need calcium for the growth and maintenance of strong bones and teeth, muscle contraction, nerve signaling and the secretion of enzymes and hormones.
How do I recognize calcium deficiencies?
Calcium deficiencies usually have the following symptoms: numbness in toes and fingers, muscular cramps, lethargy, convulsions, headaches and loss of appetite.
What about too much calcium?
Believe it or not the opposite is also worrying. Too much calcium can lead to calcification of soft tissues, kidney stones and a higher risk of vascular diseases.
Learn How to Get Your Calcium From Non-Dairy Foods
- Green vegetables – these type of greens offer you more than a quarter of your calcium needs and at the same time they bring you loads of vitamins (A, C). These improve eyesight and fight against different types of cancers.
- Almonds – aside from the rich contents of calcium offered (264 mg/100g), almonds also contain high sources of vitamin E. This contributes to maintaining your nails and hair healthy and strong. You can eat it as a snack or add it into your morning milk. The options are infinite!
- Seaweed – seaweed contain high amounts of calcium, fiber or iodine. The last ingredient contributes to proper thyroid function. You can take advantage of the multitude of seaweed recipes available online that are tasty and easy to prepare.
- Salmon – everyone knows that salmon contains lots of good fats but few people actually know that this is also rich in calcium and vitamin D. This type of vitamin helps the body absorb the calcium easier, fixing it on the bones.
- Sesame seeds – these seeds contribute to lowering your blood pressure, they reduce inflammation and can even fight against different types of cancers. These seeds can be added to salads, burgers and sautéed spinach dishes.
- Oranges – it might sound weird, but these vitamin C bombs are filled with calcium too. Not to mention that they protect the immune system and they are simply delicious. Vegetarians can easily replace a glass of milk with a glass of orange juice.
It doesn’t matter if you are lactose-intolerant or if you are a vegetarian. You can use these alternatives to maintain your Calcium levels under control and live a healthy life!