Nutritional Guide for Healthy Bones

The foods that you eat regularly definitely affect your bones. Learning about the foods that are rich in various nutrients is not only important for your bone health but also beneficial for the overall health as well. Knowing about the nutritional values of the foods you intake will help you make healthier food choices every day. To nurture your bones with healthiness here are the list of some nutrients that prevents your precious bones from becoming porous, fragile and weakening

• Calcium: Calcium acts as a major building-block of our bone tissue and our skeleton houses 99% of our body’s calcium stores. The calcium in our bones also acts as a ‘reservoir’ for maintaining calcium levels in the blood, which is essential for the functioning of healthy nerves and muscles. The amount of calcium intake changes as per the age change. Calcium requirements are high/urge in teenagers due to the rapid growth of the skeleton and during this time of the life body’s efficiency in absorbing calcium from food increases. With age, however, this absorption efficiency declines which is one of the reasons- older people also need to intake higher amounts of calcium. Milk and dairy products are great sources of getting calcium. Moreover, dairy foods have an additional benefit of being a good source of proteins and other micronutrients (besides calcium) that are also important for bone and overall health. Other food sources of calcium are green vegetables, like broccoli, curly kale, and nuts.
• Vitamin D: Vitamin D plays a key role in assisting calcium absorption from food and ensures the correct renewal and mineralization of bone tissue thus leading to a healthy immune system and muscles. In children, deficiency of vitamin D results in the delayed growth and bone deformities known as rickets, whereas in adults, a similar condition called osteomalacia. Food sources of vitamin D are limited and include oily (or fatty) fish such as salmon, tuna, sardines and mackerel and egg yolk. Milk and other dairy foods, margarine, and breakfast cereals, are also viable options.
• Protein: Protein is an important building block of bones, muscles, cartilage, skin, and blood. Protein under nutrition also robs the muscles of mass and strength, heightening the risk of falls and fractures and it contributes to poor recovery in patients who have had a fracture. Protein is not only essential for optimal bone mass gain during childhood and adolescence but it also helps in preserving bone mass with ageing. Lean red meat, poultry and fish, eggs and dairy foods are an excellent source of protein. Dairy foods offer the extra bonus of being a rich source of calcium, oily fish, & vitamin D. Good vegetable sources of protein include (legumes, lentils, kidney beans), soya products (tofu), grains, nuts and seeds.
• Phosphorus: Phosphorus is the second most plentiful mineral in your body. The first is calcium. Your body needs phosphorus for functions like filtering waste and repairing tissue and cells. Phosphorus is a very essential substance in maintaining your bones strong and healthy. In order to make energy and to move the muscles an adequate amount of phosphorus is a must. Foods that are rich in protein are also an excellent source of phosphorus. These include meat and poultry, fish, milk and other dairy products, eggs, nuts and seeds, and beans. You can get phosphorus from non-protein foods such as whole grains, potatoes, garlic and dried fruit.
• Vitamin K: Vitamin K is required for the correct mineralization of bone. Evidence suggests low vitamin K levels lead to low bone density and increased risk of fracture in the elder stage. Vitamin K can be obtained from leafy green vegetables (lettuce, spinach and cabbage,) and soybean products.

Over to you

It is evident that eating foods does impact bones as well as the overall nutrition. So, eating healthy is important. Consuming the right food can actually help to achieve good and strong bones. Enjoy the goodness of foods with healthiness!