MINERAL RESEARCH GROW

PROJECTBy: Andrea and Marissa

WHAT DOES CALCIUM DO FOR

OUR BODIES?

Initial Question:

WHAT IS CALCIUM? Calcium is the most plentiful mineral

in the human body and one of the most important. This mineral at the most takes up 2% of our body weight. 1% is in our teeth, and the rest is located in our circulation and other tissues.

THEN WE EXPANDED OUR QUESTIONS: How does it affect different parts of our

body? How much do we need, and where can

we get it? What does it do for our bones? What does it do for our heart? How does it affect our blood? What does it do for our muscles?

WHAT DOES CALCIUM DO FOR OUR BODIES? Bones-

It is required for the formation of our bones.

Knits new bone tissue.

Keeps bones strong. Muscles-

Helps our muscles contract.

Helps them remain flexible and not stiff. Blood-

Helps our blood clot.

Keeps the blood flowing through our body. Overall-

Helps release hormones and enzymes that affect many bodily functions.

Fuels important functions in your body like knitting new bone tissues, and helps nerves send messages.

Regulates heart and muscle contraction and nerve conduction.

HOW MUCH DO WE NEED?Life Stage Recommended Amount of

Calcium

Birth – 6 months 200 mg

Infants 7 – 12 months 260 mg

Children 1 – 3 years 700 mg

Children 4 – 8 years 1,000 mg

Children 9 – 13 years 1,300 mg

Teens 14 – 18 years 1,300 mg

Adults 19 – 50 years 1,000 mg

Adult men 51 – 70 years 1,000 mg

Adult women 51 – 70 years 1,200 mg

Adults 71+ years 1,200 mg

HOW DO WE GET CALCIUM?1. By eating foods or supplements that

contain calcium. Good sources are dairy products and dark, leafy greens or dried beans. Supplements also contain Vitamin D which seems to be more beneficial to bone health than calcium alone.

2. Your body can pull calcium from bones if blood calcium levels are too low. Sometimes that calcium is replaced, but only if you eat more calcium.

HOW DO WE GET THAT CALCIUM? TOP FOODS/DRINKS:

2 oz Swiss cheese- 530 mgsJack cheese 2 oz.- 420 mgsCheddar cheese 2 oz- 400 mgsOther cheeses 2 oz.- 300–400 mgsYogurt 6 oz.- 300 mgsBroccoli, cooked 2 stalks- 250 mgsSardines (w/bones)2 oz.- 240 mgsGoat milk 6 oz.-240 mgsCow’s milk 6 oz.-225 mgsCollard greens, cooked 6 oz.-225 mgsTurnip greens, cooked 6 oz.-220 mgsAlmonds 3 oz.-210 mgsBrazil nuts 3 oz.-160 mgs

TOP 10 AMOUNTS OF CALCIUM IN CHEESESCheese Calcium (mg)

Parmesan 336

Romano 302

Gruyere 287

Swiss 224

Mozzarella, part skim milk 222

Provolone 214

Monterey 211

Edam 207

Cheddar 204

Muenster 203

TO GET THE MOST AMOUNT OF CALCIUM IN A FOOD, WE RECOMMEND…

Parmesan Cheese- 336 milligrams of calcium.

TOP 10 AMOUNTS OF CALCIUM IN MILKSMilks Calcium Per 1 Cup (mg)

Goat 327

Cow 300

Soy 200

Rice 150

Almond 175

Hemp 20

TO GET THE MOST AMOUNT OF CALCIUM IN A DRINK, WE RECOMMEND…

Goats milk or Cow milk- 300-327 milligrams of calcium per cup.

HEALTH PROBLEMS RELATED TO NOT CONSUMING ENOUGH CALCIUM You can develop osteoporosis when your older. This

means that your bones become weak and brittle. Increases risk of bone fractures If you have seriously low levels of calcium, you can

have numbness and tingling in the fingers, convulsions (which is when your muscles contract and relax rapidly which results in uncontrollable shaking of the body), and abnormal heart rhythms that can lead to death if not corrected.

Can possibly lead to cardiovascular disease. If you consume the right amount of calcium, you will

reduce the risk of having high blood pressure.

HEALTH PROBLEMS RELATED TO CONSUMING TOO MUCH CALCIUM

If you consume too much you might have a higher risk of getting kidney stones.

Increased risk of prostate cancer Increased risk of heart disease

CONCLUSIONCalcium is an important part of our health. It affects most functions in our body. To stay healthy, you must have a certain amount each day according to your age group. Our age group (13-14) should be consuming around 1,300 mgs. It helps our bones, heart, blood, and muscles stay strong. There are many foods and drinks that can give you large amounts of calcium, but we limited it down to one food and one drink that is high in calcium. We researched the different types of milks and cheeses to see which ones are the best sources for calcium. We discovered parmesan cheese is a food high in calcium, and goats milk or cow milk is a drink high in calcium. We recommend you eat/drink some of these options to keep yourself healthy as you get older.

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Mar. 2015.

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"Calcium and Milk: What’s Best for Your Bones and Health?" The Nutrition Source. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Mar. 2015.

"Parmesan." Finest Quality Imported and Domestic Cheese. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Mar. 2015.

"A Buyer's Guide to Milk Alternatives." A Buyer's Guide to Milk Alternatives. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Mar. 2015.

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