Foods to Eat for Strong Bones

Happy Friday! Are my fellow American readers as excited for a three-day weekend as I am?!

So today I’m talking about the health of something that we all have about 206 of…. bones!

When my great grandfather was still alive, I remember that he fractured his foot while in bed sleeping. His bones were so brittle that just moving around in bed proved to be too much force for them. Like me, I’m sure that most of you have known someone older who has had osteoporosis, but why is awareness of the disease important for young people too?

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When you’re young, your bone mass increases as your body makes new bone faster than it breaks down old bone. Most people reach their peak bone mass by their early to mid 20s. This is why young people should do everything they can to develop super strong bones while they still have the ability to increase their bone mass, and why people older than that need to do what they can to maintain bone density. And just how do you build strong bones? Eat a balanced, healthy diet that includes plenty of calcium and exercise regularly! 

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Here are some natural (not fortified) calcium rich foods to eat for good bone health:

• Dairy: Cheese, yogurt, and milk – the most talked-about calcium rich food – are all good ones to incorporate into your diet if you aren’t sensitive to dairy. Bonus: Make sure those dairy products come from hormone and antibiotic-free animals by reading the food labels and buying organic.
• Dark leafy greens: Growing up, I remember thinking that calcium is only in dairy, but the truth is, it’s in your veggies too. Spinach, broccoli, kale, and collared greens are all calcium rich. Just another reason to try green juices or to have salads make a constant appearance in your diet!
• Soy: Soy is controversial. Some people believe it has its downsides, while at the same time, some research has shown that it can reduce the risk of cancer. I personally think that it’s healthy in moderation, but it’s better to eat in less processed forms, so eat your edamame the next time you’re at the Japanese restaurant, and don’t be afraid to try tofu! At home, I like to mix edamame with olive oil, minced garlic, and grated parmesan cheese, then throw it in the oven to roast for a healthy snack.
• Other beans, including chickpeas and kidney beans: I love throwing beans into salads or with rice. It helps to make sure I get my servings of veggies in, plus calcium, fiber, and lots of other good stuff!
• Nuts: Almonds, sesame seeds, walnuts, and tahini paste are all foods to eat for good bone health. One way to combine multiple calcium rich foods is to make hummus using chickpeas and tahini paste.
• Fruit: All the more reason to not eliminate fruit from your diet just because of its natural sugar content (which, for some reason, has been all the hype!), figs, apricots, and oranges all contain calcium.
• Fish: For all of you fish lovers out there, sardines and shrimp are a few of the kinds that are high in calcium.

Here are some osteoporosis stats that the American Recall Center recently shared with me:

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I find the facts that 1 in 2 women and 1 in 4 men over 50 will fracture a bone due to osteoporosis are pretty scary. Some risk factors for osteoporosis are genetic and make certain people more prone to the disease (women, white and Asian people), but your lifestyle can greatly reduce your risk of getting the disease. I don’t know about you, but when I’m in my 50s and 60s, I’d like to be running around with my grandkids, not worrying about weak bones! Eat calcium rich foods and get moving to build and maintain strong bone health.

What are your favorite calcium rich foods?