Hi there!
I am an Orthopedician. It's my job to look after the bones, joints, tendons,
and muscles. The one question that I get asked almost every day is “Doc, can you
suggest something to make my bones strong?” And my answer is: Make food your medicine.
Have a naturally healthy diet so that you don’t need any prescriptions later on.
In today's video, let's look at the best foods you should be eating for stronger bones.
Do people who avoid milk have weak bones? How important are
those green veggies? We're talking all that and more
Nothing beats bacon with breakfast. But have you tried grapefruit instead?
It's a tangy way to kick-start your day. Your bones are made of calcium, phosphorus,
magnesium, and other trace minerals. The bones are constantly in the state of removing old bone
and building up new layers. This is termed bone remodeling. The maximum bulk of your
bone is formed when you are young. That's why you need to start eating healthy from a young age.
Train your children to have nutritious food.
When diseases like osteoporosis set in your bone mass starts reducing and bones become
porous. The rate of bone removal is much faster than the rate of new bone formation.
It can put your hips, spine, and wrist at a greater risk of fracturing.
The vitamin C from grapefruit helps to absorb more bone minerals.
One average size grapefruit will contain 88 mg of Vitamin C. One animal study fed
study animals grapefruit juice for 60 days and found a remarkable improvement in the
bone mineral content, antioxidant status, and overall improvement in bone quality.
Moving to the one drink that has been oversold for its calcium for decades... Let's talk about milk.
Remember the times when your parent made you drink that glass full of milk every day?
Turns out they were right. Your body needs calcium for daily processes like muscle
movements and healthy heart functions. You will require about 1000 to 1200 mg of calcium daily.
1 glass of milk completes 30% of your daily recommended amount of calcium.
When there isn't enough calcium in your blood it tries to pull calcium from your
bones making them weak. To increase the calcium reserves in your bones
you need to start drinking more milk. Milk also contains 25%
of the recommended daily amount of Vitamin D. It's essential for better calcium absorption.
This healthy amalgamation of Calcium and Vitamin D in a frothy glass of milk is
enough to help postmenopausal women cope with their calcium deficiency.
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If you want to avoid that milk mustache then have it with your cereal.
We're not talking about sugary breakfast cereals. The box that reads “fortified” definitely brings
more nutrients to the table. Now, who doesn't want an extra dose of micronutrients when everything
around us is so adulterated? The morning breakfast bowl is the easiest way to get more calcium,
vitamin D, and even iron into your body. Don't worry about the taste.
Your wheat flakes or oatmeal is going to remain equally crunchy and filling.
According to a study you'll have to eat fortified cereal for about 12 weeks to
significantly improve your nutrition status. On days when you don’t have
the time to sit down for breakfast just chug a glass of fortified juice.
But are you a smoothie person? Then never leave out a cupful of yogurt.
It can thicken your drink and bring truckloads of calcium. Have you had injuries or fractures
in the past without falling? That’s a pretty clear indication your bones have become brittle.
A tasty way to overcome this is by having yogurt.
Regular yogurt has up to 275 mg of calcium in just three-quarters of a cup. Greek yogurt has
much less calcium than that. A community study showed that regular yogurt-eaters who were more
than 60 years of age had a significantly lesser risk of developing osteoporosis and osteopenia.
Throw in fresh berries and fruit chunks to enhance the taste.
You can also make sensational dips with yogurt by adding some seasoning and sour cream.
Parmesan cheese is another milk product that is considered a functional food for bone
health and osteoporosis prevention. Whoah! Did cheese pizza just get healthy or what?
We haven't forgotten about our lactose intolerant viewers!
Soy milk can help you folks to enjoy those delicious smoothies. Don't think of it as a
lesser alternative to milk. It ensures that you get 30% of your daily calcium from just a glass.
It's even better if you go for the fortified variety. But remember to shake the carton
well before drinking, unless you want all the goodness settling down at the base.
There are about 8 million women in the United States alone
suffering from osteoporosis. It decreases the quality of your life.
Soy milk contains 450 mg of calcium and is a known fix to keep osteoporosis away.
Another soy milk-based product that can help you achieve healthy bones is tofu.
It's made by pressing the milk solids after the curdling process.
It's a great source of protein for vegans and is considered to be whole plant food.
If you check the nutrition label you'll find that one serving can contain anywhere
from 100 to 125 mg of calcium. A study revealed that tofu is
associated with improved bone health. It also improves bone mineral density.
But if you see the ingredient list mentioning calcium sulfate on the packet then switch
to another brand. Calcium sulfate will cause more damage than good to your body.
You can make crispy Asian-style tofu, lasagna, and grilled tofu steak.
But have you gone dairy-free and soy-free?
Then go green! Did you know that half of your dinner plate has to be filled with leafy greens?
Strong bones is one of the million benefits that you might get from eating your green veggies.
They are high in calcium and vitamin K1 that directly target your bone-building cells,
osteoclasts. Studies have even shown that getting 200 grams of dark leafy greens
for more than four weeks improves vitamin K status and bone build-up.
But if having spinach, kale, collard greens, Swiss chard, arugula, bok choy,
Chinese cabbage, or turnip doesn't sound like a veggie paradise then you need to spice things up.
Dump them in your smoothies and add to your stir-fries to make them tastier.
Want another meat substitute?
Then mushrooms of all kinds can come to your rescue. They have some amazing medicinal
properties, support your immune system, and are extremely delicious. Button mushrooms,
portobello, and shiitake are available all year round. Try to pick the organically grown ones.
You can also use dried mushrooms if the fresh ones are not available.
They can be a hearty addition to your risottos and a scrumptious topping for your pizzas.
They are a great source of calcium and Vitamin D2. There are studies that the vitamin D
content in mushrooms can be increased by UV radiation therapy. If you can get your
hands on this enriched variety then make sure that you use it before the expiration date.
The next level up for getting stronger bones is adding some fatty fish to your diet.
Have something besides boring canned tuna. Fish like sardines and salmon can help you power up
those bones. There are about 206 bones in your body which act as a foundation for your muscles.
Bones also protect vital organs like the heart, lungs,
kidneys, and brain. That is why it is so important to focus on their health.
As you age, your vitamin D requirement increases. But on average let's consider it to be around 600
International units per day. Canned salmon contains 400 to 600 international units of
vitamin D in just 2.5 Oz. It will also have 200 mg of calcium. The catch here is to get salmon with
bones. Sardines and salmon also have a miracle macronutrient called Omega 3 fatty acid that adds
up to the overall goodness. Researchers have found a strong association between this nutrient and
reduction in bone diseases. Add fish to your wraps or sandwiches with some greens on the inside.
Another player on your bone health team is almonds.
They contribute to your bone health as they have a unique combination of magnesium and calcium.
1 Oz can give up to 19% of your daily recommended amount of magnesium.
It is a key nutrient in bone regeneration. They give 7% of the daily recommended calcium too.
If you're not a big fan of raw almonds try toasting them or use almond butter or
oil as much as you can in your cooking. But stay away from honey-glazed almonds.
The next guy on this list doesn't get much credit when it comes to boosting bone health.
But trust us they do help.
Prunes or dried plums are excellent in lowering the risk of osteoporosis.
A review of 24 studies found that they had a positive effect on enhancing bone
mineral density and protecting against bone loss. Having 5 to 6 prunes per day can be a low-calorie
snack. They have loads of antioxidants and vitamin K that are beneficial for your skeletal system.
You can add them to your baking or salads for a pinch of tanginess.
If you are still uncertain about what to eat, then how about some tomatoes?
The potassium from tomatoes can help you a lot. One cup of fresh tomatoes will provide 10% of your
daily requirement of potassium. So go crazy with them. Add them to your omelets, salads, and soups.
You could even drink your way to healthy bones. Try swapping orange juice with tomato juice.
Tomatoes and tomato products like sauces are responsible for the 80% of lycopene that you
get in your diet. This is important because it plays a protective role against bone loss
during osteoporosis. Studies have shown postmenopausal women to experience less
undesirable side effects of osteoporosis with regular consumption of tomatoes.
But it looks like eating great stuff is just not enough. Healthy bones
require regular exercising along with some dietary restrictions. Want to know more?
Let's keep the conversation going with a couple of more bone-related videos, shall we?
Watch 11 ways for you to build healthy bones or
5 ways to strengthen your knees cartilage and ligaments
Go ahead Click one. Or better yet watch both and learn more about how to get strong bones.
What food are you already eating from today’s list? Let us know in the comments below.