Eat These 7 Calcium-Rich Fruits To Ensure Healthy Bones And Teeth

Minerals play a crucial role in our body; one of the most important minerals is calcium. After all it is responsible for supporting the development of healthy teeth, bones, muscles and so much more. Moreover, it is also one of the most abundant minerals in the human body, which is essential for health. According to the Harvard University, the minimum daily calcium requirement is 1,000 milligrams a day for women below 50 years and 1,200 milligrams for women over 50 years. Your dietary choices help you load up on an optimal amount of calcium, which you need for basic functions. While you may know the usual diet that has calcium, which may include dairy products, there are fruits that come packed with calcium. We will enlist calcium-rich fruits that you can enjoy while reaping the maximum benefits from these delights, but first, what role does calcium play in our body.

What Role Does Calcium Play In Our Body?

Calcium performs numerous functions in our body. It uses more than 90 percent of the calcium to keep your bones and teeth strong, thereby, supporting skeletal function and structure. The rest of the calcium is utilised in blood clotting, muscle contraction, nerve function and cell signalling. The body cells use up calcium for various functions of the body. It also plays the key role in maintaining a regular heartbeat.

What Happens To Your Body When You Are Calcium Deficient?

It is not only calcium deficiency that can affect your health; but also the deficiency of vitamin D, phosphorus and magnesium, all of which help in calcium absorption. Here are a few reasons as to why you can become calcium deficient.

• Old age
• Menopause
• Poor absorption of calcium in the body
• Medications
• Inadequate consumption of calcium-rich foods

Symptoms of calcium deficiency

• Muscle cramps
• Dry skin
• Brittle nails
• Tooth decay
• Late puberty
• PMS symptoms
• Tooth decay
• Insomnia

In most cases, you may also suffer from diseases like osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure.

Here are some calcium-rich fruits that may help you load up on this mineral without really having to only depend on dairy products.

1. Apricots

Out of the many calcium-rich fruits, apricots top the list. Include more apricots in your diet by adding them to your salads and breakfast cereals or just enjoy them as it is.

2. Kiwi

Not only are kiwis rich in vitamin C, but calcium content that is beneficial for the body. The tropical fruit is said to have about 60 milligrams of calcium. Make sure you eat the fruit or gulp down a glass of kiwi juice.

Who wouldn’t like oranges? We often consume them without knowing how beneficial they are. Oranges are also one of the best sources of calcium after vitamin C.

4. Berries

Blackberries, strawberries and raspberries are a few fruits that are good sources of calcium. Toss them in your salads or eat them fresh. They are known to contain more than 20 milligrams of calcium each.

Pineapples are great fruits; however, may not be recommended to diabetics. These juicy fruits are said to be loaded with calcium along with other vitamins and minerals.

6. Litchi

Litchi may have the least amount of calcium, but when tossed with a fruit-bowl, it will only help add up to the mineral content.

Papaya contains a generous amount of calcium; it is said to have about 20 milligram per 100 grams of servings. Whether you eat it raw or cooked, it makes for a super healthy fruit.

The calcium-rich fruits not only promise you a load-up on calcium but also will ensure a healthy life. Most of these fruits are quite sweet; if you are a diabetic, make sure you consult a doctor.

[“source=food.ndtv”]