Getting sufficient calcium and vitamin D is considered to be healthy for bones, but it has more to it. Eating right foods does impact bone health as complications such as osteoporosis (thinning of bone tissue and loss of bone density) because it is closely related to nutrition. So, you need to get right nutrition to ensure that bones remain healthy. [Read: Tips for Healthy Bones]
Foods for Healthy Bones
- Orange Juice – Orange juice fortified with both calcium and vitamin D not only lifts your energy levels on a lazy morning, but it gives a boost to your bone health too. Furthermore, it also helps to absorb calcium from other foods. [Read: Banana Orange Shake Recipe]
- Soy – Protein-rich soy boosts up calcium intake and fulfils the daily requirement of calcium of an adult (1,000 milligrams). You can either have tofu fortified with calcium or soybeans to make your bones healthy and strong.
- Green Leafy Vegetables – Along with myriad of health benefits, green vegetables provide rare nutrients such as vitamin K, which are essential for bone building. Present in kale, spinach and Swiss chard, vitamin K reduces the risk of hip fracture by improving bone strength.
- Potatoes – Researches suggest that potassium-rich diet may decrease the calcium absorption sometimes. Therefore, include potatoes in the diet to ensure calcium gets absorbed for bone strengthening.
- Bananas – Known for its potassium content, bananas are good for healthy bones. A single banana has 422 milligrams calcium, thus, should not be ignored.
- Olive Oil – Better known for its benefits for heart and breast cancer patients, olive oil is reported as a bone-strengthening food according to a Spanish research. It has monounsaturated fat that helps to prevent osteoporosis. In a medical trial, 127 men of age group 55 to 80 were put on Mediterranean diet enriched with olive oil after having higher levels of osteocalcin in their blood. The trials demonstrated that olive oil makes the bones stronger. [Read: Health Benefits of Olive Oil]
- Fatty Fish – For absorption of calcium from dairy products and soy, you will need vitamin D nutrition. According to The National Institutes of Health, an average adult needs 600 international units (IU) of vitamin D every day. Inclusion of salmon, sardines and canned tuna fulfils the nutritional requirement.
- Fortified Cereal – Cereals provides the much needed energy along with vitamin D to maximum bone benefit along with overall nutrition. It should be preferred as the first meal of the day.
- Almonds – High in healthy fats, almonds and nuts promote bone health.
These are the healthful foods that will help you sustain healthy bone health and avoid complications such as osteoporosis and progression of bone diseases.
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