Few vitamins carry the importance to your health that calcium does. Without proper calcium, your bones as well as your teeth can lose strength. What many people don’t know is that calcium is for much more than bone health. Your heart and your muscles also need calcium to function correctly and maintain proper health. Calcium helps to regulate muscle contractions and supports your cardiovascular system. Many people struggle to get enough calcium in their diet, despite its importance to health. Here are three ways that you can get more calcium in your diet and support a healthy and balanced diet.
Eat Leafy Green Vegetables
You may be surprised to hear that veggies are one of the best sources of calcium that you can include in your diet. Kale, spinach, and collard greens are notoriously high in calcium, as well as being low in calories and full of other important vitamins and minerals that your body needs. If you need an idea of just how calcium rich leafy green vegetables are, consider that just a half cup of collard greens will add 175 mg of calcium to your diet. If you are trying to find ways to get more calcium, then leafy green veggies are a great place to start.
Eat More Dairy Products
It should not come as a shock that dairy is on this list. It has long been known that dairy products like milk are a great source of calcium. Dairy products can help protect your teeth because they contain calcium and phosphate. Dairy products like yogurt and cheese are also good sources of calcium, don’t feel limited by your choices in dairy products for calcium.
Eat Beans and Lentils
Is there anything that beans and lentils can’t do for your body? Not only are beans and lentils great sources of protein, high in fiber, and full of important minerals like magnesium and potassium, but beans and lentils are also bursting with calcium. You can get as much as 19% of your daily value of calcium by consuming just a single cup of beans. Different beans have different levels of calcium so make sure you check the packaging to ensure that you are choosing a bean with high calcium content. Great options are winged beans and white beans.
There are few micronutrients as important as calcium. Calcium helps fortify your bones and teeth, protect your heart and muscles, and provide for a healthy diet. Make sure you are including a few of these three great sources of calcium in your diet.
Check out this article on how to encourage your kids to eat healthier here!
