Bone Health: Calcium And Vitamins

The combination of vitamin D and calcium can help increase bone density. In this article, we’ll introduce you to foods that keep your bones healthy.

The bone health is fundamental, so you should pay attention to a calcium-rich diet. In addition, foods with vitamin D are very important because it is necessary for calcium absorption.

Below you can find out which foods are high in calcium and vitamin D. But how can you maintain and strengthen the health of your bones ?

Bone Health: Why Is It Important?

The skeleton, made up of bones, supports the body. That is why it is very important to keep it healthy and strong. Bones recover quickly by the age of 30. After this age, however, more bone tissue is lost than is newly formed.

Hence, it is very important to provide your bones with fresh and nutritious foods. You should also lead a healthy lifestyle. This includes a balanced diet and regular physical activity.

How can you maintain bone health?

Several factors can affect bone health:

• The amount of calcium you eat: Insufficient intake of calcium contributes to lower bone density. As a result, the risk of fractures increases.
• Physical activity: Physically lazy people are at higher risk of osteoporosis than more active people.
• Tobacco and Alcohol Use : Research published in the journal Alcoholism, Clinical, and Experimental Research shows that tobacco use also weakens bones. Regular consumption of alcoholic beverages also has a negative effect . As a result, the risk of osteoporosis increases. This is because alcohol weakens the body’s ability to absorb calcium.

• Gender:  Women are at higher risk for osteoporosis. They have less bone tissue than men.
• Age: As you get older, your bones get thinner and weaker.

Calcium-rich foods for maintaining bone health

The recommended daily calcium intake increases with age. In this regard, a publication from the Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases National Resource Center states that the recommended daily dose for adults is 1000 mg / day.

From the age of 50, however, especially in women, the requirement increases to 1,300 mg / day. Because bone tissue is lost through the menopause due to estrogen levels, this has to be compensated for.

With that in mind, these foods are great choices for easily adding more calcium to your diet without significantly increasing your fat consumption.

Green smoothies as a source of calcium

Whether in natural form or as a smoothie, green leafy vegetables are very rich in calcium.

Not only dairy products like milk or yogurt contain calcium. Rather, you can also find it in green leafy vegetables. Broccoli, kale leaves, or spinach are some of the foods that contain calcium.

nuts

Take almonds and hazelnuts in particular. You can add them to your breakfast by adding them to your cereal bowl with milk.

Legumes for better bone health

Chickpeas, beans, or lentils are foods that contain calcium and iron. What better way to eat them than in a tasty stew? Ideally, you should consume legumes once or twice a week.

Milk and dairy products

Since it has an average of 124 mg calcium per 100 g, cow’s milk is considered a good source of calcium by experts . It’s also a staple food, so it’s very easy to get.

Due to the high proportion of milk and dairy products in the daily diet, they are essential to achieve the recommended intake of this mineral.

Foods rich in vitamin D.

Vitamin D is important for the absorption of calcium from food. According to the aforementioned publication in Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases – National Resource Center , the recommended intake is between 600 and 800 international units (IU) per day.

You can get this vitamin through dietary supplements. Or you eat foods that contain it, such as: B. Egg yolks, saltwater fish, liver, and fortified milk.

In addition to these foods, there are other natural ways to get vitamin D such as: B. the sun exposure. According to a study published in the journal Nutrición Hospitalaria (Hospital Nutrition), this may even help the body make the vitamin itself. In fact, being in the sun for 10 or 15 minutes a day is enough for this to happen. But always remember to apply good sun protection beforehand!

Keeping your bones healthy can be so easy

In short, taking care of the health of your bones is not only very important, it is easy. With a healthy diet, regular exercise, and exposure to the sun, you can keep your bones strong and healthy!