Calcium also may help keep you slim and trim. According to Men’s Health editor-in-chief David Zinczenko, author of The Abs Diet for Women, calcium may prevent weight gain because it promotes more fat being burned off and less being stored. It also may ease the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS).
Children who don’t get enough calcium in their diets may not reach their full potential adult height. They are also at an increased risk of developing rickets, which is a bone disorder characterized by soft bones and skeletal deformities. It can result from a calcium or vitamin D deficiency.
Adults who aren’t getting enough calcium will suffer from low bone mass, which is a risk factor for osteoporosis and may lead to bone fractures. Calcium deficiency in adults can also result in numbness and tingling in the fingers and abnormal heart rhythms.
Children and adults should get between 1,000 and 1,300 mg of calcium each day, which can come from food or dietary supplements. With our busy schedules, the following sources of calcium are great to grab and go -- check out these six sippable sources of calcium:
Milk
According to MilkTruth.com, milk is America’s top food source of calcium, vitamin D and potassium, three of the nutrients that are most commonly lacking in our diets. Milk is also a great source of high-quality protein - 8 grams per 8-ounce cup. By comparison, a large egg only contains 6 grams of protein.
Getting your calcium fix from milk doesn’t mean you have to take in the calories. Skim milk contains about 300 mg of calcium per 8-ounce cup, about the same as whole milk and yogurt. And if you can’t get through the morning without a breakfast smoothie, adding yogurt as a base to your beverage will give you a boost of calcium and other essential nutrients.
Soy Milk
Soy milk is a very nutritious drink across the board - it’s naturally high in essential fatty acids, proteins, fiber, vitamins and minerals. One of the most beneficial characteristics of soy milk is its ability to improve your blood lipid profile. Unlike dairy milk, soy milk fat is mostly unsaturated with zero cholesterol.
The monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids in soy can inhibit the transport of cholesterol in your bloodstream. Because of this, soy milk can lower your blood concentrations of LDL (bad cholesterol) and boost the density of HDL (good cholesterol). This makes soy milk an ideal beverage if you have high cholesterol or a family history of heart disease.
Fortified soy milk contains 300 mg of calcium per 8-ounce cup.
Kale-Based Smoothies
Kale is a superfood that offers up a whopping 94 mg of calcium per chopped cup. Also, kale is a hot additive for smoothies because of its wide range of additional health benefits. For one, one cup of chopped kale has more vitamin C than an orange, providing 134 percent of your daily recommended intake of the immune-boosting vitamin.
Kale is also a great source of alpha-linoleic acid (ALA), which is a type of omega-3 fatty acid that is essential for good brain health, reduces Type 2 diabetes risk, and can boost heart health. Kale contains 133 percent of a person’s daily vitamin A requirement, as well as iron, beta carotene, and sulforaphane, a cancer-fighting compound.
Papaya in Smoothies
Smoothies offer a great way to blend your favorite, healthiest ingredients into one tasty beverage. Next time you’re stocking up, consider adding papaya to your list of smoothie ingredients. In addition to being rich in calcium, papaya is rich in fiber, vitamin C and antioxidants that can help prevent the buildup of cholesterol in the arteries. Despite its sweet taste, papaya is low in sugar content, making it a great fruit option for diabetics, and it’s rich in vitamin A, which is good for protecting your vision.
Adding a cup of papaya to your morning smoothies can add 46 mg of calcium to kick-start your day.
Orange Juice
Calcium-fortified orange juice contains 500mg of calcium per 8-ounce cup, nearly double that of milk. In addition to that heavy dose of bone- and tooth-building power, orange juice has impressive nutritional content, rich in vitamin C, vitamin A, thiamin, folate, flavonoids, and a number of other trace vitamins and minerals that make it one of the most valuable, nutrient-packed fruit juices available.
In addition to its reputation as an immunity booster, vitamin C works as an antioxidant, and one of the most important functions of antioxidants is preventing cancer by keeping the DNA of healthy cells from mutating into cancerous cells. Vitamin A, another antioxidant, can increase kidney function and detoxify the body.
Orange juice can be sipped on its own or added to a kale or papaya smoothie to pack an extra punch.
Carrot Juice
Fresh carrot juice can give you an added 57 mg of calcium in each 8-ounce cup. Carrots are well-known for their beta-carotene and fiber content, which can help with preserving vision and keep your gastrointestinal tract (GI tract) healthy and running. This bright root vegetable is also a great source of antioxidants, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin B8, pantothenic acid, folate, potassium, iron, copper and manganese.
Drinking carrot juice alone or adding it to your favorite smoothies can help protect the body against heart disease -- regular consumption of carrots can help reduce cholesterol levels. Because they are rich in potassium, a vasodilator, carrot juice can help drop your blood pressure, increase blood flow and circulation, boost organ function and reduce the amount of stress on the cardiovascular system.