Foods rich in calcium should be eaten

MSc.BS. Ngo Quynh Trang, Clinical Nutrition Center, Bach Mai Hospital, said calcium is an essential mineral, playing an important role in building and maintaining strong bones and teeth, and participating in many important physiological functions of the body.

About 99% of calcium is stored in bones and teeth in the form of mineral complexes such as calcium phosphate and hydroxyapatite, which help create strength and stiffness for the skeletal system. The remaining calcium participates in many important physiological functions such as nerve transmission, regulation of muscle contraction, maintaining acid-base balance and blood clotting. When the diet does not provide enough calcium, the body will mobilize calcium from the bones, increasing the risk of osteomalacia and osteoporosis in the long term.

Adequate calcium supplementation through the daily diet not only helps prevent osteoporosis but also contributes to improving quality of life, especially in the elderly, pregnant and lactating women. According to recommendations, adults need about 1,000 mg of calcium/day; Elderly people, pregnant and lactating women need about 1,200–1,300 mg/day. Effective calcium supplementation requires a combination of a reasonable diet, enough vitamin D and maintaining physical activity.

Dr. Trang said that milk and dairy products are important sources of calcium with high biological value. Fresh milk provides about 120 mg calcium/100 g, so drinking a glass of milk (250 ml) provides nearly 300 mg calcium.

Yogurt has about 120–150 mg/100 g, is easy to digest, and is suitable for many people. Cheese is a food very rich in calcium, on average 500–700 mg/100 g.

The seafood group provides abundant calcium, especially when eaten with shells or bones. Dried shrimp contains about 2,000 mg calcium/100 g; Fresh shrimp is about 1,120 mg calcium/100 g. Fresh rice straw 3500 mg calcium/100g. Crabs contain about 826 mg calcium/100 g. Snails (stone snails, stuffed snails, apple snails…) range from 1,300–1,660 mg calcium/100 g. As for common fish, it ranges from 20-100 mg calcium/100g.

In addition, the plant group also plays an important part in the daily diet. Besides calcium sources from milk and seafood, many plant-based foods also contribute significantly to meeting calcium needs. Amaranth contains about 341 mg calcium/100 g, is one of the green vegetables with high calcium content, easy to grow, easy to prepare and suitable for many ages.

Celery provides about 325 mg calcium/100 g, and is also rich in vitamin K – an important factor in bone metabolism. Sesame is a plant food rich in calcium, with a content of about 975 mg calcium/100 g. Sesame also provides unsaturated fats and antioxidant compounds, which are beneficial for heart and joint health.

Some plant foods contain oxalates (spinach, spinach, eggplant, beets, etc.) and phytates (beans, seeds, grains, etc.) which can reduce calcium absorption. Therefore, it is necessary to combine a variety of foods, prepare them appropriately and ensure enough vitamin D to optimize calcium absorption from the diet.