Calcium in pregnancy: what you should know about it
Make sure you have an adequate supply of calcium during pregnancy. In this article we explain why the mineral is so important for you as a mother and for your baby.
Calcium in pregnancy - why the mineral is so important
The mineral calcium is used by your body for various tasks.
- Minerals play an important role in bone building and bone strengthening - especially calcium. It is also very important for dental health.
- However, your body also needs the mineral so that the heart, nerves and muscles can function properly.
- Your baby also has a high calcium requirement during pregnancy so that, for example, the bones can develop well.
- Nature has set it up so that the woman's body takes special care during pregnancy that the unborn child is provided with sufficient calcium.
- If you consume too little calcium, your body withdraws the mineral from you to make it available to the child.
- The body then removes this from your bones and teeth. This is particularly harmful for the teeth, since the saliva of the woman is acidic during pregnancy.
- This means that the tooth enamel of a pregnant woman is more easily damaged.
Good sources of calcium during pregnancy
According to the German Society for Nutrition, women should consume at least 1, 000 mg, better even 1, 200 mg calcium per day during pregnancy.
- The best known calcium source is milk.
- But dairy products such as yogurt, cheese and curd are also foods that contain calcium.
- In order to optimally cover the calcium requirement during pregnancy, vegetables such as kale or spinach should also be regularly on your menu.
- If you like to drink mineral water, make sure that it is a calcium-rich product.
In our next post we will deal with magnesium and calcium and explain the interaction of the two minerals.