Calcium is an important mineral for the body and makes the bones and teeth strong. It also helps in sending and receiving nerve messages, relaxing muscles, and for the blood vessels to carry blood through the body.
A healthy adult needs 600 mg of Calcium everyday. Children from the age of 10 to 17 need 800mg/day as per National Institute of Nutrition. It is important for adolescents and teenagers to get sufficient Calcium for their bones to reach optimal strength.
Along With Calcium the body needs Vitamin D (which is generally found to be low in Indians) to help in the proper absorption of Calcium.
A shortage of Calcium is initially managed by the body because it pulls Calcium from the bones to replace the shortage. Over time, this can lead to osteoporosis – a condition where the bones become weak and brittle, increasing the chances of bone fractures.
The principal source of Calcium for most people is dairy products like cheese, yogurt and milk. The other good sources are green leafy vegetables, lentils, nuts and seeds. A medium size orange contains 50mg of Calcium whereas a 240ml glass of milk or curd have approximately 300mg of Calcium.
It is best to get the required quantity of Calcium from food but in many cases, it has to be supplemented with vitamins since most diets tend to fall short of recommended dosages.
