Calcium is one of the essential elements that our body needs. It is known that our bones grow up to 30 years. Therefore, if you are under 30 years old, eating an adequate calcium amount is critical to forming your skeleton.
And it is also known that people often suffer from such a disease as osteoporosis in old age. And this:
- brittle bones
- frequent fractures
- injuries
And one of the main reasons for the development of osteoporosis is often also a lack of calcium. Accordingly, we need to consume calcium before the age of 30 to form a skeleton. And also in old age so that it does not collapse.
But calcium is essential not only for our skeleton but also for many other processes in our body. And in this article, we will analyze why it is so important for us and the best source of calcium from all the products present in our lives.
Why Do You Need Calcium?
In addition to building and preserving our skeletal structure, calcium also takes an active part in the contraction and relaxation of our blood vessels, as well as in the functioning of our muscular system. Calcium is also necessary for the transmission of nerve impulses. And calcium is the most common mineral in our body. that is, of all the minerals, it is physically the most in us.
How much calcium should I consume?
It is recommended to consume 1000 milligrams of calcium per day. And for older people whose age exceeds 60 years, 1200 milligrams per day is recommended. But the thing is that if we eat this gram of calcium, it is not yet a fact that it will be absorbed. It is influenced by other things, and we will talk about them a little later.
Where is the calcium found?
And now, let’s look at where we can get this very calcium. The first thing that comes to mind is dairy products – and it’s true. For example, 100 grams of milk contains as much as 100 mg of calcium. That is, we drink a glass of milk – about 200 mg of calcium we get. There is also much calcium in cottage cheese, fermented milk products, and a lot in cheese, of course. And, generally speaking, this is a very persistent association, about which, probably, everyone knows: dairy products-means much calcium.
But an interesting fact is that there are some products in which the calcium content is even higher than in milk.
What are these products? For example, these are sesame seeds. 100 grams of sesame contains 1,500 milligrams of calcium. That is 100 grams of sesame cover our daily needs and another 50% on top.
Eggshell
But there is one product that surpasses even sesame seeds in its calcium content, eggshells. How much calcium do you think it contains?
One eggshell contains as much as 2 grams of this mineral. That is, it is generally an eggshell that will weigh an average of 5 grams. And of these, 2 grams will be accounted for by calcium.
And to meet our daily need for calcium, of course, well, eating whole eggs with shells is not the best option. Well, we’ll scratch our skin and our palate and our throat and our esophagus and maybe our stomach. It is much more humane, of course, to pass this business through a coffee grinder.
So if we take just half a teaspoon of ground eggshells, we will get the necessary gram of calcium. And if we decided to use the same amount of calcium through, for example, cottage cheese. How much would you have to eat cottage cheese? About 1 kilogram. Well, that is, you know, yes, half a teaspoon and 1 kilogram of cottage cheese. And, if we eat a kilogram of cottage cheese, then our kidneys and liver will say goodbye to us for such excessive protein consumption.
Too much protein for the kidneys and liver is harmful, and the protein in a kilogram of cottage cheese will be 160 grams.
Learn more:
How Does Excess Protein Harm Health?
How to cook eggshells correctly?
There is a simple way to prepare eggshells to be all well absorbed and without side effects.
We take a pack of eggs. It is recommended to do not one shell at a time but, say, a small batch. It’s just much more convenient.
- First, you need to wash the egg initially, which will reduce the risk of catching salmonella. Also, if you keep eggs for a long time, it is better to keep them out of the light. Well, either in a box or in the refrigerator, because sunlight can destroy some nutrients.
- After we have washed the eggs, they must be kept in hot water. First of all, this is necessary for disinfection. Well, that would completely sterilize the surface. That is, we can either boil the eggs then separate the shell or if we do not want boiled eggs, then at least keep a minute in boiling water for disinfection. Well, here I think you can decide for yourself.
- Next, we separate the shell from the eggs and begin to grind it. To do this, you can use:
- blender coffee
- grinder
- you can just manually use a mortar
The main thing is to remember one simple rule: you need to grind it finely. Because the finer we grind, the better the calcium will be absorbed. That is, in an ideal way, we should get exactly the powder at the output.
How to take it correctly?
Of course, you can add half a spoonful to the food. But there are ways to improve efficiency. For example, 20 grams of lemon juice or citric acid is poured on the prepared powder from 10 eggshells. And as a result, we get such a substance as calcium citrate. And this is exactly the form that is absorbed by our body best.
But there is another very important element-vitamin d. It is necessary to use calcium in conjunction with vitamin d. even if you look at the market of dietary supplements and dietary supplements. Very often, vitamin d and calcium are sold in one capsule. And this must be said to be a very reasonable and correct decision because it is true that when we consume calcium together with vitamin d, we significantly improve the digestibility of both substances. That is, a kind of synergy occurs.
Moreover, if we consume a lot of calcium and vitamin d is not enough, various side effects develop. The same is true if we consume a lot of vitamin d, but we do not have enough calcium. It can even trigger his osteoporosis.
How can I get vitamin D?
There are not so many products from which we can get it. We can certainly eat eel, which is high in vitamin d. but I’m not sure that you have an eel for sale. It is necessary to live near the sea after all. Vitamin D is also found in egg yolks, for example. But to consume the daily requirement of vitamin d, you will have to eat a whole pack of eggs. And eating eggs on Daddy’s day isn’t great.
Learn more:
9 High Vitamin D Foods
Vitamin d can be obtained through the sun, but again, depending on where you live. In many cities and countries, the sun is not very much. Therefore, in principle, all that remains of vitamin d is a supplement. Perhaps the only natural way available.
Learn more:
How to store ready-made eggshell powder?
It is best to store it in a glass jar, which closes with a tight lid. And, of course, away from the sun. And it is recommended to use all the same courses for two weeks with a break. and do not exceed the dosage. Because if we eat more than the daily dosage of calcium, we will not get more benefits from it. A golden mean is needed.
By the way, friends, write in the comments and how do you want to try the eggshell, or maybe you have already tried it? Share it will be interesting.