Calcium Rich Indian Foods & Proven Benefits for Healthy Bones

March 22, 2019

A balanced diet is something that is highly recommended by any health expert and dietician out there because they even help in preventing many illnesses and in ageing gracefully. Calcium is one such nutrient, and a diet that includes calcium-rich food is vital.

calcium indian foods

Calcium and its Benefits

Here is why it is important to have calcium-rich food:

1) Strengthens Bones

Calcium is important for strong teeth and bones. It helps growing children to increase their bone mass, and as we age, it helps in preventing bone loss. With a diet containing calcium-rich food, you should be able to maintain the proper amount of calcium your body needs.

2) Promotes Weight Loss

Believe it or not, a diet with calcium-rich food is good for the metabolism. Calcium makes the body burn more fat instead of helping to store it.

3) Helps With PMS

Without a diet of calcium-rich food along with Vitamin D, women tend to suffer more severely from PMS. This is because progesterone and estrogen react badly with the hormones that regulate calcium in its absence.

4) Dental Care

Formation and maintenance of teeth require calcium. Also, calcium protects teeth by keeping the jawbones stronger. Weak jawbones can make teeth wobbly and increases the chances of teeth falling out.

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5) Promotes Heart Health

Calcium does not just help to strengthen bones and teeth; it also helps in the functioning of the muscles and nerves. Our heart is a muscle that relies heavily on the nervous system, and without the adequate amount of calcium-rich food providing calcium to our bodies, calcitriol, a hormone, is released. This causes the arteries to contract and the blood pressure to increase.

6) Prevents Kidney Stones

While many believe that calcium increases the risk of developing kidney stones, this is not entirely true. A study has proven that those who take calcium supplements are more likely to develop kidney stones, but those who have diets high in calcium-rich food have a much lower risk of developing them.

Learn More: CALCIUM SUPPLEMENTS: WHEN SHOULD YOU TAKE THEM?

Calcium-Rich Foods In India

Here we have some calcium-rich food that includes calcium-rich vegetables and calcium-rich fruits as well.

1) Ragi

Calcium-rich Indian food would not be complete without the nutritious ragi on the list. It is a grain containing bran, endosperm, and germ, making it very healthy. There is 344 mg of calcium in 100 grams of ragi flour, says the National Institute of Nutrition in India.

2) Rajgira

Also known as Amaranth or Ramdana, Rajgira is rich in protein, amino acids, magnesium, iron, Vitamins A, B and C and also is a calcium-rich food. Rajgira is known to have 116 mg of calcium in 246 grams, making it a great ingredient to prepare calcium-rich Indian food.

3) Rajma

Also known as red kidney beans, rajma provides 260 mg in every 100 g, making it a great calcium-rich food that you need to add to your diet. There are many recipes for rajma beans that you can try when you are in the mood for calcium-rich Indian food.

4) Matki

Also known as Turkish gram or Moth beans, Matki is an amazing calcium-rich food that contains 202 mg of calcium every 100 g. This is a popular calcium-rich Indian food ingredient.

5) Horsegram

Also known as Kulthi, horsegram is a staple in many parts of India and is a great calcium-rich Indian food. It contains 287 mg of calcium per 100 g.

Calcium Rich Fruits

6) Oranges

Oranges contain 161 mg of calcium in every 100 g. This refers to the basic type of orange that is used, which is raw orange peel, making it one of the best calcium-rich fruits.

7) Figs

Among the calcium-rich fruits, figs have high calcium content, with dried, uncooked figs containing 162 mg every 100 g. There are many recipes using figs, making it a loved calcium-rich Indian food ingredient.

8) Dates

Also known as Medjool, is known to have 64 mg of calcium per 100 g, making it another great ingredient to add to your calcium-rich food recipes. They are a favourite among calcium-rich fruits for their sweet taste and versatility among calcium-rich Indian food recipes.

9) Prunes

The basic, dried prunes are plums, known among the calcium-rich fruits to have at least 43 mg of calcium in every 100 g.

Click here to know 10 Essential nutrients your body needs

10) Tangerines

Tangerines have at least 37 mg of calcium in every 100 g, making them fruits that have higher calcium content.

Calcium-Rich Vegetables

11) Okra

A favourite calcium-rich Indian food, there are many Indian recipes featuring this nutritious vegetable. Your raw okra is a calcium-rich vegetable and contains 82 mg per 100 g.

12) Moringa

Also known as drumsticks, moringa is something you need to include in your diet. With 440 mg of calcium in the fresh leaves, it is a favourite among calcium-rich vegetables. Commonly used in India, there are many recipes with moringa available for some great calcium-rich Indian food.

13) Green Beans

Containing 37 mg of calcium in every 100 grams, green beans are common calcium-rich Indian food, with so many people using it in their recipes. This is one of the easiest calcium-rich vegetables to add to your meals.

14) Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are calcium-rich vegetables, having a calcium content of 78 mg in every 100 g. They are a popular calcium-rich Indian food that many people enjoy.

15) Mustard Greens

With 115 mg per 100 g, mustard greens are one of the most calcium-rich vegetables out there.

Calcium-rich food should be a part of every person’s diet as it has so many health benefits. There are many calcium-rich fruits and calcium-rich vegetables available to us today that we can use to cook calcium-rich Indian food.

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