Minerals help your body function normally, and calcium, which is a mineral, is needed by your body every day to keep your bones strong and help your muscles move. The amount of calcium a growing girl needs each day is 1,300 mg, because her bones are gaining density and developing, according to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Your nerves also depend on calcium to help them communicate with your brain and other parts of your body. Your blood vessels need calcium, as well. Hormones and enzymes are sent out with the help of calcium. Yet many people do not consume enough calcium, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements. If you are one of those people, you may want to look at a list of calcium-rich foods and include more of them in your diet.
Dairy Sources
Milk has always been a high-calcium food, and it only takes a cup of low-fat or fat-free milk to give you 300 mg of this essential mineral. Plain yogurt without fat is another good source of calcium that can supply you with 452 mg of calcium per 1-cup serving. Yogurt with fruit in it has about 345 mg of calcium per 1-cup serving. Part-skim ricotta cheese will give you about 334 mg of calcium per ½-cup serving, and low-fat American cheese will give you 312 mg per 2-oz. serving.
Vegetable Sources
Certain vegetables contain a significant amount of calcium and should be included in your diet. A cup of collard greens contains 357 mg of calcium. Turnip greens contain 249 mg of calcium per cup, and okra gives you 176 mg of calcium per 1-cup serving. Small red beans supply 30 percent of your daily value of calcium per 1-cup serving and great northern beans give you 12 percent of your daily value of calcium per 1-cup serving.
Additional Sources
Many food manufacturers add calcium to their products. You can usually find calcium-fortified orange juice in supermarkets, and you can get about 350 mg of calcium from an 8-oz. glass. Soy drinks have added calcium, and one 8-oz. glass contains about 300 mg. Calcium is also added to tofu, which has about 400 mg in each cup. You can find calcium in some fortified cereals and pasta. Some packaged cookies contain as much as 10 percent of your daily value of calcium per serving.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Fruit & Vegetable of the Month
- U.S. Department of Health & Human Services: Best for Bones Foods
- Delaware Health and Social Services: More Fruits and Vegetables=Calcium
- National Institute of Child Health & Human Development: Calcium from Other Foods
- Office of Dietary Supplements: Calcium
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