Calcium - Why is it Important in Diet and for Bone Health

We’ve all heard that calcium is a very important part of our diet and adds to the health and strength of our bones. Well here’s some more details as to what calcium is and what it does for us. Calcium is an essential nutrient and helps to build and maintain strong bones and healthy teeth. But did you know that it also helps to keep your heart beating steadily and works to make your blood, muscles, and nerves functioning properly as well. Our bodies need a minimum amount of calcium daily. If your diet does not provide you with enough calcium, it has to take it from your bones to make up the difference. Over time this weakens the bones and lead to a disease called osteoporosis which causes weak and brittle bones subject to breakage and other problems in later years. Most people think that this is a problem which is limited only to women. However that is not the case as men can be affected too. This is why it’s very important for them to have plenty of calcium throughout their lives to build strong bone mass and avoid problems later in life. It is very important to ensure you have plenty of calcium. You can get this through milk or dairy products. As a good rule of thumb, you’re not getting enough calcium if you don’t drink at least three glasses of milk per day. There are also good calcium supplements if you are unable to digest dairy products. As we grow, our bones need plenty of calcium. Therefore it is vital for children and teenagers to get the calcium they need. Fortunately most kids and even teens drink plenty of milk so this typically isn’t a problem. However as we age, the amount of milk or dairy products we ingest go down. But it’s important to pay attention to this, especially when it comes to pregnant women. The developing babies need calcium from their mother for their bones to form properly. We should continue to make certain we get enough calcium every day. This can come from milk and dairy products. Calcium is also contained in fresh vegetables like broccoli. And there are many more products available now which are fortified with calcium. This includes fruit juices, cereals, and snack foods. So as you can see, calcium is a very essential nutrient. A lack of it can cause many health problems but if you pay attention and make certain you eat or drink foods which contains good amounts of calcium throughout your life, you’ll avoid many problems later on.