You probably already know it, but calcium is a fundamental mineral that helps the development of bones, teeth and muscles among other things. Calcium plays a fundamental role in the secretion of hormones and enzymes that are essential for the proper functioning of the body. Therefore, it is important to obtain an adequate supply of calcium either from the diet or due to supplementation. Thanks to science, it has been confirmed on several occasions that the lack of calcium is totally related to serious diseases such as osteoporosis . For this reason it is important to have a good daily intake of this mineral so that our body can work properly.
If you are trying (or have already succeeded) to opt for vegetarian or vegan eating habits, it is very likely that you are looking for alternative products to dairy and meat as a primary source for calcium intake. We are all aware that organic fruits provide countless healthy nutrients, but it may surprise you that many of them are highly rich in calcium.
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Why do we need calcium?
Calcium is normally associated with healthy skeletal health, which is entirely correct. However, the body needs this nutrient for much more than that, since a deficiency in calcium can cause our teeth and bones to become weak . Apart from what has already been mentioned, it has been confirmed that a diet low in calcium is a risk of suffering from high blood pressure. On the contrary, a diet that contains a high concentration of it helps reduce blood pressure in people with hypertension.
If you want more extensive information on foods rich in calcium, I suggest reading the following articles:
List of Fruits Rich in Calcium
Once we know how important this mineral is, we are going to leave you a series of fruits with high calcium content so that you have a wide variety of selection.
- Oranges and Mandarins: Loaded with 43 mg of the recommended daily intake of 1,000 to 2,000 mg for the average person. In addition, oranges and mandarins also have a great contribution of vitamin C, which makes it an excellent choice.
- Kiwi: This tropical fruit provides 34mg per 100g . To give you an idea, a single kiwi could have a full 60mg of calcium.
- Dates: Characterized by its delicious taste, each date contains around 15mg of calcium .
- Dried figs: It is possible that this option is the best fruit source of calcium that exists, since for a medium portion of figs you can obtain 241mg . The individual contribution for each fig is 13 mg, so it is very interesting to include this food in our diet if we want to more easily reach the goal of adequate daily intake.
- Rhubarb: In 1947 the New York court of the United States decided that rhubarb, then considered a vegetable, could be considered a fruit. Although it is not a very common food, it would be ideal to get hold of it, since it has an astonishing 86mg per 100g of product.
- Prickly pear or tuno: An exotic delicacy, it has some prickly pears and are also known as red tuna, they contain 58mg of calcium for each fig.
- Plums: In addition to being beneficial for the colon, prunes can offer up to 75mg of calcium in a single intake.
- Blackberries: Blackberries are not sold in many supermarkets and can be difficult to find. It’s a shame since they also contain up to 55mg of calcium . If you find them, don’t hesitate to try them!
- Guavas: Without a doubt one of my favorites, rich in both flavor and nutrients. Specifically, for each unit you can ingest 18mg per 100.
- Avocado: If you want extra calcium from fruits, then you can try avocado. 100 grams of avocado provide 12 mg of calcium. It is not the richest source, but eating avocado is very healthy.
You don’t need to depend on a non-vegetarian diet to get the calcium you need. There are varieties of fruits and vegetables that can provide you with enough minerals. Also, people with lactose intolerance can try soy products.
What is the role of calcium in your body?
Calcium has the following functions:
- Maintains healthy bones and teeth and prevents osteoporosis.
- Contributes to good blood circulation throughout your body.
- It ensures that the endocrine system works smoothly.
- It maintains muscles, tendons, and ligaments, which is important for flexibility.
- Main component of cellular signaling, transport and communication.
- Essential for blood clotting.
- Activates most enzymes and hormones to their active forms.
- Helps the movement of sperm towards the egg during fertilization.
- Reduces risks during pregnancy.
- Regulates heart rate and hypertension.
- It controls the absorption of cholesterol and lipids in the intestines.
- Prevents and treats cancer.
- It helps control weight.
A lot of work for a single mineral. Dont you think
What are fruits?
Before looking at the list of fruits with a high calcium content, let’s review what fruits are and see their different types. Fruits are the edible fleshy part of a tree or plant that contains seeds. Fruits come in a variety of flavors, including sweet, sour, bittersweet, and many more. They are great sources of nutrients required by our body .
Types of Fruits
There are 8 main types of fruits. Which are:
Simple Fruit
These fruits develop from the maturation of a single ovary of a flower. Simple fruits are of two types, dry and fleshy. Simple nuts can be dehiscent or indehiscent. Brazil nuts, strawberries, coconut, walnuts, hazelnuts, etc. are some simple nuts . Simple fleshy fruits are those that have a partial or total fleshy pericarp (wall of the fruit) at maturity. Some examples include cherry, tomato, olives, peach, plums, and blueberries.
Added Fruits
These fruits develop from multiple ovaries of a single flower. There are four main types of aggregate fruits, including follicles, achenes, drupelets, and berries. Raspberry, blackberry and custard apple are some examples.
Multiple Fruits
Multiple fruits originate from an inflorescence, which means a cluster of flowers. Each of these flowers individually produces a fruit and the fruits, when ripe, are presented in the form of a single mass. Pineapple, figs, blackberries, etc., are some multiple fruits.
Berries
The berry is a simple type of fruit as it develops from a single ovary of a single flower. Blueberry is one of the most common examples of berries.
Fruit Accessory
Any fruit whose edible part comes from the ovary, as well as other parts of the flower, is an accessory fruit. It can be single, multiple, or an added fruit. The most common examples include pineapple, apple, stone fruit, and strawberry.
Seedless fruit
Seedless fruits ripen in two ways. The first is where the fruit develops without parthenocarp, while the second is where pollination stimulates fruit development. These are the most valuable fruits as they are consumed by most of the people.
In conclusion, calcium, being the most important mineral, tends to be the most neglected. The little ones as a general rule complain of drinking milk and eventually give it up completely. For this reason, it is recommended that you use other foods in order to get that necessary contribution. It should be known that such deficiencies can cause various diseases in the long term. If what has already been said is not helpful enough, all dietary supplement stores and pharmacists have supplements for this particular type of mineral in their stores, although it is always advisable to take the advice of a doctor before starting any medicinal treatment.
Kathie Sand always saw the world of beauty as the terrain on which to build her professional career, a goal that was clear to her when she was only 15 years old. Her great concern to expand knowledge led her to settle in Paris where she studied hand in hand with the best beauty professionals and with the most advanced techniques for skin care.