When you’re younger, your body builds new bone faster than it breaks down old bone, which increases bone mass. But as you get older bone mass is lost faster than it is createdwhat can lead to weakened bones. Age is not the only factor; gender, race, family history, and body size also affect bone health. The good news is that while you can’t completely prevent some degree of bone loss over time, there are ways to strengthen your bones and slow bone aging.
What you eat and drink can be an important factor in bone health, including getting more bone healthy minerals in your diet. And it’s not just about what you eat, but also what you drink. We spoke with brittany dunnMS, RDN, CDand member of our board of medical expertsto learn more about drinking habits that can help maintain healthy bones and prevent aging.
According to Dunn (and honestly, your mother), drinking Milk it is a good way to provide important nutrients to the bones.
“Fortified milk and milk alternatives contain vitamin D, calcium, and protein to support bone health,” says Dunn.
fortified milk is cow’s milk that contains additional vitamins and minerals not found naturally in significant amounts in regular milk. If you’re lactose intolerant or just don’t like cow’s milk, you can find milk alternatives that also contain additional vitamins. These include plant-based milk options like soy, oatmealrice, Coconutcashew and almond.
How do you know if your milk is fortified? You should be able to tell by the tag. And for those who don’t like either of those milk options, Dunn recommends kefir—a “drinkable yogurt” packed with probiotics.
If you don’t like “straight” milk, don’t worry, there are other ways to mix it into your diet. Dunn points out that adding some type of dairy to your smoothie it’s a great way to help your bones stay healthy.
Options like reduced-fat milk, yogurtand even fortified soy milk they are great sources of calcium, vitamin D, and protein, all of which are great for building strong bones!
According to the newspaper Nutrition Today, protein makes up about 50 percent of bone volume and about one-third of bone mass. And since dietary protein is a key nutrient for bone health, it can aid in the prevention of osteoporosis.
If dairy products are completely off your table, fortunately, there are other ways to get your calcium intake.
“Spinach and another green leafy vegetables they’re a good source of calcium,” says Dunn, adding that spinach is an especially good leafy green to add to your smoothie, because you may not even taste it once it’s mixed with other ingredients, but you’ll still get the benefits. nutritional.
However, he warns that spinach contains a high amount of oxalate, a natural compound that binds calcium, which can potentially lead to the formation of calcium. kidney stones.
As an alternative to spinach, another great leafy green to consider adding to your diet is kale. It is recommended that most people consume 2,500 mg of calcium per day. One-half cup (100 mg) of kale contains 254mg calciumor 10 percent of your daily intake, making it another excellent source of calcium that’s also smoothie-friendly.
According to Dunn, fruits work as excellent digestive equalizers that support balanced pH levels which, in turn, help maintain calcium levels.
One fruit that is especially useful for improving bone health is prunes. According to a study published by the Integrative Physiology and Biomedical Program and the Departments of Nutritional Sciences and Kinesiology at Pennsylvania State UniversityEating approximately 6 to 12 prunes per day can help reduce inflammation disruptions that can contribute to bone loss in postmenopausal women. If the thought of prunes gives you the creeps, try drinking fortified orange juice, which provides 350 mg of calcium, or about 25% of your daily value. As a bonus, it’s packed with vitamin C, another important nutrient to maintain bone health. You’ll get 100% of your recommended daily intake in just one serving, which is a win-win. And once again, you can combine fruits in a smoothie to maximize the benefits of each ingredient. You won’t even taste the prunes!
Kayla Garritano
Kayla Garritano is a staff writer for Eat This, Not That! She is a graduate of Hofstra University, where she majored in Journalism and double majored in Marketing and Creative Writing. read more
