Benefits of Foods High in Calcium:

They Support:
 Bone Health
May Help Prevent Cancer
Aid Weight Management
Improve Blood Pressure and Heart Health



1. Support Bone Health
Many  adults are affected by osteoporosis, which is one of the leading causes of broken bones in the elderly and affects more women than men. It likely won’t come as a surprise that foods high in calcium support bone and skeletal health. Depending on the body’s needs, calcium can either be added to bone by cells called osteoblasts or removed from bone by cells called osteoclasts.

The National Osteoporosis Foundation states, “Calcium and vitamin D are essential to building strong, dense bones when you’re young and to keeping them strong and healthy as you age.”
 Calcium is especially critical in the teens and early 20s when bones are achieving their peak density/mass. The greater the peak bone mass people achieve when they are younger, the longer they can delay osteoporosis or loss of bone mass at a later age.

Calcium intake remains important as someone reaches older age. Ideal sources of calcium for bone health include raw/fermented dairy products and leafy green veggies, since these also provide nutrients like magnesium, potassium and vitamin K. Unfortunately, many adults lack quality calcium foods in their diets. And according to the World Health Organization, “There has been considerable debate about whether current recommended intakes of calcium are adequate to maximize peak bone mass and to minimize bone loss and fracture risk in later life.”

2. May Help Prevent Cancer
Studies have shown that consuming calcium-rich foods is associated with a decreased risk of certain types of cancer, especially colon and rectal cancers. Findings from the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort study found that men and women who had the highest intakes of calcium through both their diets and supplements had a reduced risk of colorectal cancer compared with those who had the lowest calcium intakes.

The evidence is not currently strong enough to recommend calcium supplements for the prevention of colon cancer, but eating foods with calcium may have the same effect. (There’s actually a link between calcium supplements and heart attacks and potentially higher risk for prostate cancer too, so it’s best to get the mineral from calcium-rich food sources.)

3. Aid Weight Management
Certain clinical studies have found that there is a connection between higher calcium intake from foods high in calcium and lower body weight. It is believed that calcium in the diet can bind to fat in the digestive system, helping it be excreted and possibly preventing some fat absorption, therefore helping lower the amount of calories that actually contribute to fat gain.

4. Improve Blood Pressure and Heart Health
Foods high in calcium help relax smooth muscle tissues found in the veins and arteries. Calcium can also help prevent blood clotting and help reduce blood pressure. In fact, the DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) recommends a diet high in calcium-rich foods like yogurt or kefir because these are foods that help improve blood pressure.

 Note: The natural fat found in dairy products has been shown to have certain benefits, so it's always  recommend you take full-fat dairy over low-fat dairy.

How Much Calcium Do You Need Per Day?
The recommended daily allowance (RDA) for calcium is 1,000 milligrams a day for adult men and women under the age of 50. The RDA increases to 1,200 to 2,000 milligrams a day for adults 50–70 and older, since more calcium is needed to protect aging bones.

In many parts of the world, most adults get less calcium than they need for overall health, especially bone health. For example, in many Asian countries it’s common for adults to consume critically low amounts of dietary calcium, with intake levels often less than 400 to 500 milligrams per day. One large study found that across the 74 countries, the average national dietary calcium intake ranged from 175 to 1233 milligrams/day.

Compared to other minerals, we need a higher amount of calcium each day — making foods high in calcium very important for a number of reasons. In fact, we are thought to have enough calcium in our bodies to constitute 2 percent of our total body weight. What happens when you don’t get enough calcium? Calcium deficiency symptoms and risks can include:

Higher chance of developing osteopenia or osteoporosis
Tooth decay
Bone fractures
Muscle tension
High blood pressure
Hardening of the arteries and hypertension
Inflammation
PMS symptoms
Indigestion
Higher risk for kidney stones and gallstones
Higher risk for heart disease and diabetes
Higher risk for certain types of cancer

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