Health Nutrition
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Calcium
Calcium is an important component of a healthy diet. It is the mineral that is needed in greatest quantities. Calcium is the major constituent of bone and tooth. Calcium is important for:
- Smooth functioning of our muscle
- Nerve function
A lack of calcium can:
- cause rickets
- affect bone formation
- affect tooth formation
In average, our body has about 1kg of calcium. One gram of calcium a day is needed to maintain the level of calcium in our body.
Vitamin D is needed to absorb calcium. The absorption of calcium can be hindered by:
- Food high in insoluble fibre
- Oxalates found in spinach, rhubarb, chard, chocolate and beetroot
- tannin in tea and coffee
Excess of calcium in our body can cause kidney stones.
Good Sources of Calcium
| Food / 100g | Amount (mg) |
| Parmesan cheese | 1200 |
| Reduced fat cheddar | 840 |
| Full fat cheddar | 740 |
| Sesame seeds | 670 |
| Steamed tofu | 510 |
| White chocolate | 270 |
| Shelled almond | 240 |
| Soya beans | 240 |
| Muesli | 200 |
| Spinach | 170 |
| Skimmed milk | 120 |
| Prawn | 110 |
| Broccoli | 40 |
m = 0.001
Recommended Intakes for Adults::
UK Reference Nutrient Intakes (RNI) - 700mg
USA Recommended Daily Amount (RDA) - 1000mg