If you start eating well while you're young, your bones will be better equipped to withstand the wear and tear of life. The bones can't stay strong without enough calcium, and vitamin D is essential for the body to absorb.
Conditions like rickets and osteoporosis, as well as an increased chance of fracturing a bone from a fall later in life, are linked to poor bone health. A well-balanced diet should give you all the essential elements for strong bones.
Strong bones depend on more than just a nutritious diet; they also require regular activity and avoiding osteoporosis risk factors.
Darker Greens
Calcium is the best mineral for bone health. You can get it from dairy products, but there's also a lot of it in greens. Instead of choosing between the two, why not do both? For example, fantastic options include dark leafy greens such as bok choy, Chinese cabbage, kale, collard greens, and turnip greens.
About 200 milligrams of calcium (20% of the daily value) may be found in one cup of cooked turnip greens. In addition, the vitamin K in dark greens can help lower your risk of osteoporosis.
This Spud Is For You
Magnesium and potassium are two minerals that are not as well-known yet are important for bone health. Magnesium deficiency can disrupt vitamin D equilibrium, which can threaten bone health.
Potassium is a vital mineral to prevent the acid in the body from robbing calcium from the bones. One tasty way to get some of both is to consume a baked medium-sized sweet potato without salt, which has 31 milligrams of magnesium and 542 milligrams of potassium.
Tart
When you eat a grapefruit for breakfast, you'll be doing more than just stimulating your taste receptors. Vitamin C, present in citrus fruits, has been found to slow the breakdown of bone tissue. The recommended daily allowance of vitamin C is 88 milligrams, and one full pink or red grapefruit provides that much. Can't take the grapefruit's sourness? Only a navel orange (83 milligrams) comes close.
Get Figgy With It
You should put figs at the top of your shopping list if you're seeking fruits that strengthen bones. Five medium fresh figs offer roughly 90 milligrams of calcium and other skeleton-saving minerals, including potassium and magnesium.
California only produces fresh figs in the summer and fall, but dried figs are available year-round. Dried figs are as nutritious, with 121 milligrams of calcium in only half a cup.
Think Beyond Canned Tuna
Numerous elements included in fatty fish like salmon are beneficial to bone health. Vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids are in them, which may help with bone health.
Canned salmon is one of the most convenient methods to purchase this fish. There is 187 mg of calcium in three ounces. To what end is this astronomical sum being set? Canned meat often includes soft bones.
A Sandwich Spread
Almond butter is a simple spread that may be made by grinding almonds (and possibly adding a little salt). One hundred eleven milligrams of calcium may be found in only two teaspoons. In addition to the protein and other minerals that aid bone development, almonds include potassium.
Plant Milks
You would believe that switching from dairy milk to soy, nut, or coconut milk would give up all the health benefits associated with these nutrients. Most supermarket options, however, have had their nutritional content artificially inflated. Make sure to check the label.
Substitute Meatless Proteins.
The adaptability and health benefits of tofu have made it a staple ingredient in Asian cuisine. More than 860 milligrams of calcium may be found in just half a cup of calcium-enriched tofu. Bone health isn't the only thing that tofu helps with. Studies have shown that the isoflavones in tofu may help prevent bone disease in postmenopausal women.
Juice A Classic
Pancakes and orange juice may be a match made in heaven, but orange juice doesn't have much calcium. Nevertheless, it is still a fantastic method of increasing consumption. How? Added calcium is a common additive that manufacturers put into their products.
Fortified orange juice indeed has almost the same amount of calcium as dairy milk, making it an excellent alternative for those trying to grow strong bones.
Often Disregarded Dried Fruit
When you hear the term "prune," you might picture an elderly person munching on a laxative. To be more accurate, dried plums should be a staple in everyone's diet. Recent studies have shown that including them in your daily diet, together with calcium and vitamin D, can help enhance the bone density by reducing bone resorption.
