This blog post on the top 10 foods rich in calcium in Kenya teaches you the foods you can eat to increase your calcium levels.
Calcium is important for healthy skin because low calcium levels or hypocalcemia cause dry, scaly skin.
Click on the link to learn about Dry Skin Care
Calcium is important for healthy hair because low calcium levels cause coarse hair.
Calcium is important for healthy nails because low calcium levels cause brittle nails that break easily.
Calcium is also very important for general body health since it is required for healthy bones and teeth and for the nerves, muscles and heart to function normally. Systemic symptoms of hypocalcemia muscle cramps, muscle spasms, confusion, forgetfulness, depression, and tingling sensations in the lips, feet and fingers.
Calcium deficiency can also lead to osteoporosis which is common in post menopause women. Menopause symptoms in Kenya of osteoporosis include bone pain, posture changes like stooping forward, loss of height and fractures.
Click on the link to read about the Best Moisturizers For women Over 40
Calcium deficiency can also lead to rickets which is common in children in Kenya. Symptoms of rickets include bow legs, knock knees, muscle weakness and delayed growth.
Low calcium levels in the body can be caused by the following:
*Low consumption of calcium rich foods
*Poor absorption from the digestive tract
*Hypovitaminosis D or low vitamin D levels which can occur due to inadequate sunlight exposure or inadequate consumption
*Hypoparathyroidism or low parathyroid hormone levels
*Hypomagnesemia or low magnesium levels
*Kidney disorders
*Pancreatitis
*Medications like rifampicin (used to treat TB), phenytoin (used to treat convulsions) and corticosteroids
*Restless leg syndrome
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Foods Rich In Calcium: Yogurt
Yogurt is an excellent source of calcium though the amount varies.
1 cup (245 grams) of low fat yogurt contains calcium which is 34% of the DV.
1 cup (245 grams) of plain yogurt contains calcium which is 23% of the DV.
Though there are different varieties of yogurt, generally, 1 cup of yogurt contains 450 mg of calcium and nonfat yogurt has the highest amount of calcium.
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Foods Rich In Calcium: Milk
Milk is an excellent source of calcium though the amount varies.
1 cup (237 ml) of goat’s milk contains 327 mg of calcium which is around 25% of the RV.
1 cup (237 ml) of cow’s milk contains 306-325 mg of calcium which around 24% of the RV.
Milk is also an excellent sources of calcium because it also contains lactose which enhances calcium absorption.
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Foods Rich In Calcium: Cheese
Cheese is an excellent source of calcium though the amount varies.
Parmesan cheese has one of the highest amount of calcium since 30 grams of Parmesan cheese contains 242 mg of calcium which is 19% of the RV.
Brie cheese has a lower amount of calcium since 30 grams of Brie cheese contains 52 mg of calcium which is 4% of the RV.
Cheese is also an excellent source of calcium because its calcium is more readily absorbed by the body than that from plant sources.
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Foods Rich In Calcium: Sardines
Sardines are good sources of calcium because of their edible bones. 92 grams of sardines contains calcium which is 27% of the DV.
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Foods Rich In Calcium: Chia Seeds
Chia seeds are a good source of calcium since 100 grams of chia seeds contains 631 mg of calcium. Chia seeds have the highest calcium level of the foods listed here.
The top 3 foods that contain the highest amount of calcium for healthy bones are yogurt, cheese and chia seeds.
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Stinging Nettle Leaves
1 cup of cooked stinging nettle leaves contains 428 mg of calcium.
However they also contain oxalic acid which can decrease calcium absorption by binding to it.
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Collard Greens Or Sukuma Wiki
Dark green leafy greens like collard greens are some of the top calcium rich vegetables.
Collard greens are African foods that are high in calcium since 1 cup of collard greens contains 268 mg of calcium which is 21% of the RV.
However they also contain oxalic acid which can decrease calcium absorption by binding to it. But, collard greens are a better source of calcium than spinach since they have less oxalic acid.
Kale is another good source of calcium since 1 cup of kale provides 179 mg of calcium. It is also a better source of calcium than spinach since it has less oxalic acid.
Rhubarb is another good source of calcium since 1 cup (122 grams) of raw rhubarb provides 105 mg of calcium which is 8% of the DV. However, it has a high oxalic acid level and only a small amount of calcium is absorbed by the body.
Spinach is another vegetable which contains however its high oxalic acid level decreases absorption of the calcium.
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Amaranth
Amaranth leaves are another of the African foods that are high in calcium since 1 cup (132 grams) of cooked amaranth leaves contains 132 mg of calcium which is 21% of the RV.
1 cup (246 grams) of cooked amaranth grain contains 116 mg of calcium which is 9% of the RV.
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Beans
Beans are good sources of calcium though the amount varies.
1 cup (172 grams) of cooked winged beans contains 244 mg of calcium which is 19% of the RV.
1 cup (172 grams) of cooked white beans contains calcium which is 12% of the RV.
However beans also contain oxalic acid which can decrease calcium absorption.
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Broccoli
Broccoli is another of the top calcium rich vegetables because 1 cup of cooked broccoli contains 62mg of calcium.
However broccoli also contains oxalic acid which can decrease calcium absorption but it is at a lower concentration which means that broccoli provides the body with more calcium than many other vegetables.
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Almonds
30 grams of almonds (which is around 24 nuts) contains calcium which is 6% of the RV.
However almonds contain phytic acid which can decrease calcium absorption.
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FAQ
How can I get 1000mg of calcium every day?
If you want to increase the calcium in your body and get 1000mg of calcium every day, eat a combination of the following foods and you will increase your calcium in one day:
Breakfast: 1 cup cow’s milk (300mg) 1 cup kiwi fruit (50mg)
Snack: 1 cup yogurt (450mg)
Lunch: Pizza with 1 cup cheddar cheese (200mg), 1 cup kale (55mg), 1 cup ice cream (200mg)
Snack: 1 cup cottage cheese (130mg), 30 grams almonds (80mg), 30 grams sunflower seeds (50mg)
Dinner: 1 cup cooked pinto beans (75mg), 1 cup cooked broccoli (180mg), 1 cup collard greens (50mg), 1 cup buttermilk (300mg)
Which are the calcium rich fruits?
Dried figs are calcium rich fruits since 1 cup contains 300 mg of calcium.
Kiwi are other calcium rich fruits since 1 cup contains 50 mg of calcium.
Share with us in the comment section your views on the top 10 foods rich in calcium in Kenya.