Can you believe we are five weeks into this series already? I have already learned so much about these valuable nutrients, and why we need them – what about you? This week, let’s begin exploring the mineral “family” and look at one of the top minerals we should make sure we are getting enough of.
There are about 20 minerals that play major roles in the healthy functioning of the body, but we’re going to focus on calcium for today. The top 7 minerals are heavy hitters, called “macrominerals” and they are: calcium, chlorine, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, and sulfur. The “microminerals,” which we will focus on in a future post, are needed by the body only in trace amounts, and they are: chromium, copper, fluorine, iodine, iron, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, selenium, silicon, tin, vanadium, and zinc.
What role does calcium play in the overall health of the body? Let’s dive in and find out:
Calcium – Calcium is essential for healthy bone growth and structure, and yet, most of us women only get half the daily amount that we need! The Recommended Daily Amount (RDA) for calcium is 1000 mg for men and women, 800-1200mg for kids, and 1,500 mg for age 65 and over. You may be surprised that calcium is found in many more foods than just dairy: figs, oatmeal, navy beans, broccoli, salmon, tofu, sesame seeds, and dark green leafy veggies.
There are many food sources of calcium
Just to give you an idea of how much you are getting in your foods, an 8 oz serving of milk (any type) or calcium-fortified orange juice gives you 300mg of calcium. Some people, however, need to take supplements to be sure to get enough – here are a couple of important things to remember if you do:
DON’T – take calcium pill right before a high fiber meal, since fiber makes calcium absorption harder
DO – take vitamin D with calcium supplements – the body needs Vitamin D to absorb calcium
DON’T – take iron and calcium supplements together, since calcium will inhibit the body’s ability to absorb iron
DON’T – take calcium supplements if you have had kidney stones (of course, check with your doctor in this one!)
DO – watch out for proper dispersement of the supplement, as too much calcium at once can cause constipation
Join us next week as we look at the other “Major Players” in the mineral department! If you have any questions on this information, ask Bess at the facebook community page!
This is some text prior to the author information. You can change this text from the admin section of WP-Gravatar Bess Blanco is the passionate Food & Family Health Coach behind The Intentional Lifestyle, a whole-family guide for natural, balanced health! She proudly serves a growing community of families looking for quick and easy ways to integrate balanced health into their already too-busy lives. Read more from this author