That's Fit

Here's another installment of what I'm sort of making an ongoing feature here on That's Fit. It's not really one of our true features (those are listed on the right hand side of this page), it's just something I felt like putting together myself. It's called Vitamins and Minerals 101, and this time around we're taking a look at Calcium.

Name: Calcium

What it Is: The most abundant mineral in the human body. 99 percent of calcium is found in the bones and teeth, with the remaining 1 percent found throughout the body in muscle, blood, and the fluid between cells.

What it Does: Keeps bones health and strong, helping to prevent against osteoporosis. Calcium is also needed for muscle contraction, blood vessel contraction and expansion, the secretion of hormones and enzymes, and sending messages through the nervous system.

How Much You Should Be Consuming: Recommended Adequate Intake by the IOM for Calcium is 1000mg daily for men and women aged 19-50; 1200mg daily for men and women aged 51+

Where to Get It: Milk, yogurt, cheese, sardines, tofu, salmon, spinach, calcium fortified orange juice.

Consuming an adequate amount of Calcium is vital to maintaining a healthy, well-balanced diet. For more information on this powerful fighter against bone degeneration and myriad diseases, click HERE to visit the National Institute of Health's website.