Health Education
Foods to Eat to Improve Bone Health
Improving bone health is essential, regardless of age. Developing and maintaining strong and healthy bones should never stop. Incorporating these foods and vitamins into your diet will help keep your bones healthy.
Why is Calcium Beneficial?
Maintaining a calcium-rich diet is beneficial not only for helping build and protect bones but also for other processes throughout your body. While most of our calcium is located within our bones and teeth, this mineral also helps our muscles and the clotting of our blood. Calcium also helps with structural components of our body, such as in the development of hair, skin, and nails.We cannot produce calcium on our own and need to get it from our diet. Every day, your body loses calcium that it must make up for. If you do not get enough calcium, your body will take it from your bones. This decreases your bone density and, over time, can cause your bones to become weak and brittle.
Sources of Calcium
In order to determine how much calcium is present in food, you will need to check the nutrition panel for the listed daily value. The daily value amount is based on a 1,000 mg recommendation. For adults who are 50 years and younger, the recommended amount is 1,000 mg daily. Women who are 51 years and older, as well as men who are 71 years and older, have a recommended amount of 1,200 mg daily.
Calcium can be found in many foods. Dairy products are typically very rich in calcium. These include milk, yogurt, and cheeses. However, dairy products may also be high in cholesterol. Other foods that contain calcium in smaller amounts than dairy products include cereals, juices, and certain breads.
- Oranges: one entire orange, which is a single serving, contains about 55 mg of calcium.
- Soybeans: an 8-ounce serving of green soybeans contains around 175 mg of calcium.
- Kale: an 8-ounce serving of frozen kale contains approximately 180 mg of calcium.
- Greek Yogurt: a 6-ounce serving of greek yogurt contains roughly 200 mg of calcium.
If a person struggles with certain conditions, is on specific medication, or has dietary restrictions, they may have difficulty getting the recommended daily amount. Vitamin supplements are another way that a person can reach their recommended daily amount.
Why is Vitamin D Beneficial?
Vitamin D is essential in helping your body maintain proper bone health. It is important for protecting your bones and aiding in muscle support. Vitamin D plays a vital role alongside calcium, as it helps your body to absorb calcium. Younger children and adolescents are encouraged to get the proper amount of vitamin D to ensure their bones build up strong and healthy. Adults are encouraged to get recommended values to keep their bones strong.Sources of Vitamin DFor those who are under the age of 50, the recommended daily amount of vitamin D is between 400 and 800 IU. For those who are 50 or older, the recommended daily amount increases to 800 to 1,000 IU. The reason for the drastic range is that some people just require more vitamin D than others. Vitamin D’s upper limit is 4,000 IU daily.
Unlike calcium, there are three different ways to get vitamin D: from sunlight, your diet, or supplements. As a response to sunlight exposure, the skin produces vitamin D, which is then stored. However, the average person cannot receive their daily values of vitamin D from sunlight alone. This is due to seasonal changes, geographic locations, or even the age of your skin.
Vitamin D can also be found in food, although very few foods contain sufficient amounts. Sources of vitamin D in foods include fatty fish like tuna or salmon. Vitamin D is also sometimes added to certain milk or dairy products.
- Tuna: a 3.5-ounce serving of canned tuna contains around 268 IU of vitamin D.
- Salmon: half a fillet of sockeye salmon contains approximately 815 IU of vitamin D.
The average person may have difficulty getting their recommended daily amount of vitamin D from food alone. In these instances, vitamin supplements may be recommended to help that individual reach their recommended daily value.
Maintain a Healthy Diet
Maintaining a healthy diet is an important habit to develop not only your bone health but for overall health as well. Reaching your recommended values daily of vitamins and minerals is essential for maintaining proper bone health. According to Village Vitamin Store, calcium intake alone is not enough. If you are not able to meet these daily values, you can meet these values with the use of vitamin supplements. Now is the time to start investing in your bone health.