The best choices include plant proteins, such as beans and nuts, as well as fish, skinless poultry and lean cuts of meat. Plant proteins are rich in vitamins, minerals and estrogenlike plant compounds that help preserve bone. Low-fat dairy products, including milk and plain yogurt, are another good source of protein.
Pasta is rich in amino acids and proteins. Proteins help to maintain the bone health.
Potassium neutralizes acid in your body that can leach calcium out of your bones. One delicious way to get some of both of those nutrients is by eating a baked medium-size sweet potato with no salt, which has 31 milligrams of magnesium and 542 milligrams of potassium.
Like pumpernickel, rye bread is rich in lignans, plant compounds linked with a wide range of health benefits, including a reduced risk of heart disease, menopausal symptoms, osteoporosis and breast cancer.
Eggs. Egg yolks are high in vitamin D, better known as the “sunshine” vitamin. This nutrient is essential to your bone health because it affects how much calcium you're able to absorb by stimulating the production of a calcium-binding protein.
Canned sardines and salmon with bones have great bone-health nutrients, including calcium. Fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, sardines and mackerel also pack a punch of vitamin D, which is great for your bones. Collard greens, kale, okra, turnip greens and broccoli are full of calcium.
Oats would be a good choice of breakfast if you want to head off osteoporosis. They are high in mineral content. Keep in mind that you should go for steel cut rather than rolled oats.
Based on these factors, the best milk for osteoporosis is low-fat or skim milk that is fortified with calcium and vitamin D. Other good options include soy milk, almond milk, and other plant-based milks that are fortified with these nutrients.
Studies have also shown that a moderate intake of certain alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages like wine, beer and tea may also be good for your bones. More research is also needed to better help us to better understand the relationship between these drinks and bone health.
Avocados are rich in phosphorous, magnesium and manganese to help maintain bone health and reduce your risk for developing osteoporosis.
Plain Yogurt
Regular yogurt delivers almost twice the bone-strengthening mineral calcium. One serving of plain yogurt (3/4 cup) contains 263-275mg of calcium and Greek yogurt contains 180-212mg.
Potassium-rich foods such as bananas, tomatoes and orange juice could help fight osteoporosis in post-menopausal women by helping to reduce the level of calcium losses, report researchers from the University of California San Francisco (UCSF).
Weight-bearing exercises, such as walking, jogging, and climbing stairs, can help you build strong bones and slow bone loss. Avoid substance abuse.
Sourdough is rich in thiamin and niacin, both of which can boost your metabolism. It's packed with iron for oxygen flow; zinc for your immune system; and magnesium and calcium for bone, muscle and nerve health.
Just like calcium, the phosphorous in lamb meat also promotes healthy bones, and can even help prevent bone abnormalities and conditions, like osteoporosis.
Salmon and other types of fatty fish offer many bone boosting nutrients. They contain vitamin D, which assists in calcium absorption, and are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which may also help bones. You might also try a fish oil supplement which has shown to reduce bone loss in women and may help prevent osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis is more likely to occur in people who have: Low calcium intake. A lifelong lack of calcium plays a role in the development of osteoporosis. Low calcium intake contributes to diminished bone density, early bone loss and an increased risk of fractures.
Beginning in childhood and into old age, a diet low in calcium and vitamin D can increase your risk for osteoporosis and fractures. Excessive dieting or poor protein intake may increase your risk for bone loss and osteoporosis.
The largest study to date published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2008 found that elderly women who ate chocolate more than one time each day had thinner bones (less bone density) than women who ate chocolate less than once per week.