Many women are very concerned about their health after pregnancy. The most frequently asked question is about calcium supplementation. What foods are high in calcium? What can I eat to supplement calcium?
During pregnancy, since the calcium required for the growth and development of the fetus is provided by the mother, the demand for calcium is higher than that of ordinary people. Insufficient calcium intake at this time can easily cause calcium deficiency in the mother's body. The loss of bone marrow will lay great hidden dangers for diseases such as osteoporosis in the future. Calcium is so important. What foods are high in calcium and can be used to supplement calcium?
First of all, it is recommended to eat foods rich in calcium.
500 grams of milk can provide about 500 mg of calcium, which is definitely the most recommended calcium supplement food. But it should be noted that the 500 grams of milk should be low-fat or skim milk. Otherwise, 20 grams of pure fat will be consumed at the same time, which can easily lead to rapid weight gain during pregnancy.
Soy products are also highly recommended. It should be noted that the calcium content in soy products varies greatly. Dried tofu is very high, while soy milk, yuba and the like are very low. About 100 grams of northern tofu or dried tofu can provide about 200 mg of calcium.
What is the best calcium supplement to eat during pregnancy?
Green leafy vegetables are also a good choice for calcium supplement. 200 grams of rapeseed has the same calcium content as 200 grams of milk. In particular, one dish I like very much - pork ribs and cabbage is the most recommended. The focus here is the cabbage, definitely not bone soup. The calcium supplement of cabbage is much better than bone soup.
Except for these three types of foods, other foods contain very little calcium. If you don't eat these three types of food well and your calcium intake is not enough, you need to take calcium tablets to supplement your calcium.
There are many calcium supplement products on the market. How should pregnant women choose?
Calcium supplements are divided into calcium carbonate, calcium lactate, calcium acetate, calcium gluconate, bone meal calcium, calcium phosphate, amino acid chelated calcium, etc. based on different ingredients. Among them, calcium carbonate is the most commonly used, cheap and convenient, but its absorption depends on gastric acid and is somewhat irritating to the digestive tract, so it is best to eat it with food. This can minimize the impact on the digestive tract, making it less likely to cause stomach discomfort or constipation after taking calcium tablets. Calcium citrate (compared to calcium carbonate) is not irritating to the gastrointestinal tract and is more suitable for people with achlorhydria (more common in people over 50 years old), inflammatory bowel disease, or malabsorption. Calcium gluconate and liquid calcium are more convenient to drink. The disadvantage is that the dosage is small and you need to drink many bottles at a time.
Since excessive calcium intake at one time is not conducive to absorption, when choosing calcium tablets to supplement calcium, it is recommended to choose a small dose and take it in divided doses, such as one tablet of 200 mg in the morning and one tablet of 200 mg in the evening. It is best to take calcium tablets at a time separate from the time when you drink milk, yogurt, and soy products to avoid a decrease in absorption rate.
What is the best calcium supplement to eat during pregnancy?
Calcium supplementation alone is not enough, adequate vitamin D intake is equally important.
Calcium absorption is inseparable from the help of vitamin D. You can get a sufficient amount of vitamin D by exposing your head, face, and arms to the sun for 20 minutes a day. However, due to the winter dimension and temperature in the north, it is difficult for pregnant women to synthesize enough vitamin D, so they need to supplement daily. 400 units of vitamin D will do.