20 Calcium Rich Fruits.

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We know that calcium is essential for good health and overall development. But do you know that your regular diet generally lacks the required amount of this vital nutrient?

Calcium is one of the basic and quintessential minerals that is required for the growth, support, and development of healthy bones, muscles, and teeth. This mineral also plays important roles in triggering the secretion and maintenance of various hormones in the body. It is required for the synthesis of assorted enzymes. Plus, studies suggest that calcium, along with vitamin D3, is very essential for those who are on a weight loss regimen. Inadequate levels of calcium leads to various health conditions, osteoporosis and rickets being the most prominent ones.

Apart from dairy sources, green leaves, veggies, and assorted grains also yield calcium. Many fruits are a storehouse of this essential mineral too. Here is a list of calcium rich fruits you could try including in your diet to get sufficient amounts of calcium into your body.

1. Roselle:

This tops the list of calcium rich fruits with a 100 gram yielding 215 mg calcium, serving 21.%5 of the recommended daily value.

2. Dried Figs:

Dried uncooked figs give you a whopping 162 mg calcium, easily qualifying as the best fruit source of calcium. Figs are low in calories, with 100 g fresh figs providing only 74 calories, making them the perfect choice for those who are on the flab to fab regimen. Plus, you can reap the goodness of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and assorted antioxidants too.

3. Rhubarb:

Frozen, uncooked version of 100 grams of this fruit gives you 194 mg of this essential mineral. Pick 86 mg of the mineral from 100 grams of this raw fruit. A low calorie fruit, rhubarb fulfils 13% of your daily vitamin C requirement. Packed with 7% dietary fibers, this is a good choice, especially if you are diabetic or are on a weight loss regimen.

4. Olives:

While you get 88 mg calcium from 100 g small olives, the same quantity of jumbo ones yield 94 mg. Plus, olives are excellent sources of iron rendering about 18% of RDA. You also get 12% of recommended dietary fiber from the above mentioned quantity of this fruit.

5. Zante Currants:

This is rich in calories with 100 grams giving 283 calories. Yet it tops the list of calcium abundant fruits with 89 mg. It is also one of the richest fruit sources of potassium with this quantity giving 892 mg.

Opt for the dried jujubes to get about 8% of the recommended daily value of calcium, which means 100 grams of the dried version of these fruits give you 79 mg calcium. It is also a good source of other minerals, including iron and magnesium, with each meeting 9% of the daily values. Jujubes – the dried ones – are also good sources of vitamin C, reaping 21% of RDA.

7. Tamarind:

This is widely used as a spice in India, rather than being eaten as a fruit. But it is a fruit that offers you quite a good dose of calcium. To be precise, 74 mg from 100 grams, meeting 7.4% of the recommended value. Plus you get 628 mg of potassium along with 20% of recommended daily value of dietary fiber.

8. Prunes:

Prunes are excellent energy rendering dried fruits, with 100 mg yielding 241 calories. A good natural source of dietary fiber, these fruits contain sodium in low levels. Dehydrated low moisture prunes give you 72 mg calcium, while the moisture-rich version yields 43 mg only.

9. Dates:

Dried Medjool dates are a wonderful source of this bone strengthening mineral along with being a potential powerhouse of energy. A 100 g serving of this Medjool variant gives you about 64 mg, making it to 6% of the daily recommended dose. You also get about 39 mg calcium per 100 grams of the Deglet Noor variant of dates.

10. Kumquats:

A rich treat for the palette, these fruits offer you vitamin A and C, two essential vitamins with intense antioxidant powers, in admirable quantities. Plus, you get about 62 mg calcium from 100 g of this fruit.

11. Apricots:

Dehydrated apricots are a better sources of calcium when compared to the fresh and dried ones, with about 61 mg obtained from 100 g. The fresh ones give you 13 mg while dried ones are still better with a decent 55 mg.

12. Prickly Pears:

Get 58 mg of this bone and teeth strengthening mineral from 100 gram of this exotic fruit. Also known as red tunas, these fruits are known to safeguard you from various health conditions, including osteoporosis, hypertension, assorted cancer types, diabetes, stroke, and cardiovascular disorders. Being low in calories, this can be adopted by the weight conscious group to reap the calcium benefits.

13. European Black Currants:

Also known as the quincy berries, these are god sources of vitamin A as well as antioxidants and flavanoids. A 100 g of these berries provide about 20% RDA of iron, while giving you 55 mg calcium. These fresh currants are also a good source of other essential minerals, including potassium, manganese, and magnesium, all which are helpful in improving the rate of metabolism.

14. Raisins:

While seedless golden raisins give you 53 mg calcium per 100 grams, the other seedless variant is equally good with a 50 mg yield. The seeded variant gives you much less, 28 mg per 100 grams, to be precise.

15. Oranges:

While Navel and Florida oranges give you 43 mg of the RDA, other oranges give about 40 mg. Plus, these orange skinned tangy-sweet fruits are powerful sources of Vitamin C. Free from cholesterol, sugar and fats, 100 grams of oranges render you 47 calories. No wonder they are among the popular options for calcium.

16. Custard Apple:

Also known as the Bullock’s Heart, the fleshy fruit with distinct black seeds contain about 40 mg calcium in 100 grams. A calorie laden fruit, the presence of calcium makes it a good choice for pregnant and lactating women.

18. Pineapples:

Choose the frozen, undiluted concentrate version of pineapples to get a good amount of calcium. Make sure your concentrate is free of sugar too. However, the fresh pineapple slices give you just 13 mg. So, if you love pineapples and want to include it as a source of calcium in your diet, then try to get old of its concentrated form which gives you 39 mg of this essential nutrient.

19. Kiwi:

A refreshing tropical fruit, Kiwi is also known as Chinese gooseberry. A rejuvenating fruit, Kiwi provides 34 mg of calcium per 100g serving. However, the Golden Kiwi gives you just 20 mg calcium for a 100 gram serving. Both the version give you about 60 calories per 100 grams.

20. Litchi:

While fresh litchis do not make it to this top 20 list of calcium abundant fruits, dried ones do have a place here. Despite being loaded with 277 calories per 100 grams, dried litchis give you 33 mg calcium. The dried ones are also excellent sources of dietary fiber, satisfying 18% of the daily value. Not to talk about vitamin C. You get 305% of the RDA. That is definitely a great reason to munch on some dried litchis, isn’t it?

Other fruits Sources of Calcium:

Here are few more fruits, in their fresh, dried, or frozen forms, that you could consume to get calcium: [Calcium up to 25 mg per 100 g]

Fruits	Calcium in mg
Raw Mulberries	39
Raw Elderberries	38
Dehydrated Uncooked Low Moisture Peaches	38
Raw Muscadine Grapes	34
Dried Uncooked Pears	34
Raw Lime	33
Raw Red Currant	33
Raw White Currant	33
Raw Clementine	30
Raw Blackberries	29
Frozen Unsweetened Blackberries	29
Dried Uncooked Peaches	28
Raw Native Persimmons	27
Raw Lemons, Unpeeled	26
Raw Raspberries	25
Raw Gooseberries	25

Why Exactly do you Need Calcium?

We all know about the importance of calcium when it comes to bones and teeth. However, there are many other benefits that can be derived from calcium:

1. To Keep Cardiovascular Diseases Away:

An escalated level of blood pressure is bound to be the major trigger of various conditions affecting your heart and nervous system. Calcium, along with potassium, can help you to keep you blood pressure levels under control. A healthy dose of calcium safeguards you from these major dreaded health risks.

2. Helps You Lose Fat:

The slimming effects on calcium is gaining more prominence, and it’s very essential especially if women are looking to get washboard abs. However, if you are not keen on gulping down your milk, then the fruits mentioned above could be your way to add calcium. Along with helping in burning fat, calcium also makes sure that excess fat is not stored up.

3. Safeguards from Osteoporosis:

By developing and maintaining your bone density, this mineral plays a major role in minimizing osteoporosis risk and safeguards your bones from turning fragile and brittle.

4. Eases Pre-menopausal Syndrome:

Deficiency in calcium is known to trigger PMS issues. So, make sure that you stick to the required levels to have a smooth pre-menopausal stage.

5. Regulates your Menstrual Cycle:

Studies have found that women who have a calcium deficient diet are prone to irregular periods. There have been countless cases where women settled back into regular cycles after they were put on calcium and vitamin D3 tablets.

6. Combats Cancer:

Studies reveal that inclusion of this mineral in adequate amounts is known to ward off different types of cancer, including breast, ovarian, and, colorectal cancer.

7. Helps in Blood Clotting:

Calcium also helps in blood clotting and prevents excessive loss of blood from wounds. It also ensures faster healing.

In short, calcium benefits you in many ways. The best part is that you do not have to stick to a glass of milk to get calcium. Try these calcium rich fruits and get a yummy dose of calcium!

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