It helps your baby grow strong bones and keeps you healthy & energetic. Where can you find calcium while pregnant?
Calcium is one of the most important nutritional ingredients for pregnant women. The baby needs it for the development of the bones, teeth, heart, muscles, nervous system, and more. If the mother won’t have enough calcium in her pregnancy diet, her body will direct calcium from her own bones to the baby. This condition is called Osteoporosis, and indeed, weak bones are one of the most common problems pregnant women experience.
Sources of Calcium for Pregnant Women
To avoid such complication and ensure your baby’s health, pregnant and breast-feeding women are advised to have 1,000mg of calcium per day.
You can easily reach this goal by including some of the following foods in your daily pregnancy menu:
Type of food (100 grams) | Amount of calcium (mg) |
Sesame seeds | 975 (whole) / 120 (dried) |
Tahini (sesame paste) | 419 |
Almonds | 282 |
Yoghurt | 180 |
Figs | 140 |
Milk | 120 |
Cottage cheese | 102 |
Cooked Brussels sprout | 96 |
White beans | 95 |
Red cabbage | 54 |
Peanuts | 51 |
Chestnuts | 48 |
Cooked egg | 47 |
Broccoli | 45 |
Oranges | 35 |
How do you take Your Calcium…?
Having enough foods with calcium is the first step of taking care of yourself and your baby. However, to allow the calcium absorb in your body rather than dispose a lot of it in your urine, follow the next steps:
- Avoid smoking
- Cut down on caffeine, alcohol and salt
- Exercise regularly
- Make sure you have enough vitamin D (you can find it in meat, eggs, fish, and… sunlight! Simply go outside for 10-15 minutes every day)
- Make sure you have enough vitamin C (you can find it in oranges, apples, bell peppers and other tasty foods)
Don’t forget to talk to your doctor before making any major changes in your pregnancy diet and prior to taking calcium supplements!
