The Best Foods For Your Bone Health

The Best Foods For Your Bone Health

To promote strong bones, your diet is extremely important. The foods you eat on a day to day basis will have a strong influence over your health going forward, so let’s take a closer look at some of the most important bone-boosting choices to include in your menu.

Plain Greek Yogurt 

We’ve all heard that dairy is good for building strong bones thanks to the calcium it provides. This is completely true. You do need calcium if you are to maintain the structural integrity of your bones and prevent the slow degeneration of the bone tissue.

This said, not all dairy is ‘good’. If you choose milk, for instance, you’re also going to pack in nearly 10 grams of sugar per cup, which isn’t an ideal option for most people. Do that, and you may just swap one health risk (broken, weak bones) for another (diabetes).

General health must always be maintained. Plain Greek yogurt is a much smarter bet. With Greek yogurt, you’re still getting a good dose of calcium and getting the protein that you’re after with it, but you can side-step much of the sugar that comes with it. 

Just do be sure to choose plain Greek yogurt and flavor it yourself with some fresh fruit, cinnamon, or nut butter. 

Salmon 

Who would have thought salmon would be good for bone health? Salmon is a protein-rich food that supplies the body with a wealth of omega-3 fatty acids, which will certainly help keep you in a healthier state. These omega-3 fats can help reduce inflammation in the body, which then also means less overall pain and discomfort associated with the joints. If you have achy joints, you’ll want to get more omega-3’s into the picture.

In addition to that though, salmon also provides a good source of vitamin D, which is another nutrient you need for strong bones. Many mistakenly think that calcium is all you need, but vitamin D and calcium work together to help solidify the bone matrix and keep it nice and strong. By getting enough vitamin D, you help to ensure that you absorb and utilize all of the calcium you’re taking in optimally. 

Whole Eggs 

If you’re one to toss the egg yolks in your eggs in favor of just whites instead, it’s time to stop that now. Whole eggs have a wealth of nutrition, and by leaving out the yolk, you’re missing out on much of that nutrition.

The yolk contains a lot of vitamin D that is needed by your bones to help with the absorption of calcium and to promote maximal bone remodelling. 

While it’s certainly understandable that you may not be on board for eating three to four whole eggs per day, especially if you have a concern with your cholesterol level, for most people who are otherwise healthy, one yolk a day is definitely acceptable. 

Not only will you reap better nutrition from keeping the yolks in, but in addition to that, it’ll typically make your dishes taste better as well. Plus, it does help add some fat into your meal, which will then boost the satiety factor and help keep hunger lower overall. 

Almonds 

Almonds are a great snack that can either be eaten as-is or if you prefer, incorporated into your meals. They can be added to salads, baking recipes, incorporated into a stir-fry, or ground up and used as a flour for bread or muffins. 

Almonds, while more calorie-dense, are also a good source of calcium, so they are perfect for those who may not tolerate dairy. If you can’t have yogurt or eat cheese, you have to find alternative options.

While you can certainly always take calcium supplements, generally speaking, getting your nutrition from whole foods is always superior

Since almonds are higher in calories though, you must keep your serving sizes in check. Eating too many will lead to weight gain if you aren’t careful. 

Fortified Cereals 

Finally, if you’re really stuck on foods to get your vitamin D and calcium, check out some of the fortified cereals now on the market. Many kinds of cereal contain these two nutrients, so by having a cereal, you’ll get your quota. Just remember to be mindful of how much sugar you’re taking in with that cereal because some cereals can get to be quite high in overall sugar content. 

So there you have the best foods for boosting your bone health and ensuring you make it through winter without any breaks or stress fractures. While it’s easy to focus on constantly building stronger muscles, it’s important that you also take note that your bones aren’t being neglected as well. 

Here’s a quick and easy recipe that incorporates many of these foods into the mix to encourage better bone development. 

Fluffy Pancakes 

½ cup whole-wheat flour

¼ cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup ground almond flour 

2 tsp. baking powder

1/8 tsp. salt 

½ tsp. powdered Splenda 

¾ cup unsweetened almond milk 

1 large egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

¼ cup plain, low-fat Greek yogurt

Combine all the dry ingredients together in a bowl until well mixed. Next, whisk together the wet ingredients in a separate bowl. Now combine and stir until combined

Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat and then pour batter into small pancake circles and cook for 2-3 minutes. Flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes or until finished. Serve with some sugar-free maple syrup if desired. 

Enjoy!

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