For a strong body, we need strong bones because bones give support & strength to our body. It is the framework of our body on which all the body parts are supported.
Like all other body parts, our bones also need proper nutrition. The bone health vitamins include calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and vitamin D . Out Of these the prime nutrient for bone is calcium.
Importance of calcium in bone health
Our bone cells continuously get damaged and replenished by new cells. For this calcium intake in our daily food is very much essential to meet these requirements. An adult person needs approximately 1000 to 1300 mg of calcium. We need a sufficient amount of calcium to keep our bones healthy & sufficient vitamin D to absorb the calcium.
Poor bone health can be the cause of bone-related diseases like osteoporosis, rickets & bone breakage due to falls in old age.
There are several bone health supplements available in the shops. But you will be surprised to know that we can get all the nutrients required for our bones by eating a balanced diet.
But for vitamin D we need sunlight which helps to absorb the calcium from the food.
Vitamin D absorption depends on the amount of time our body is exposed to the sun. Early morning rays are very beneficial for making vitamin D in our bodies.
As our age increases our bones start to calcium very fast. This is the reason for several bone-related diseases. Hence as we grow our diet should fulfill the calcium requirement of our body. If needed then along with a balanced diet you should take bone strength supplements.
In this article, we will discuss the foods that are rich in calcium to fulfill the calcium requirement of our body.
Per day Calcium requirement according to age
- Children aged 5-10 years       1200mg
- Growing age boys and girls     10-18 years 1300mg
- Adults 18-45 years             1000mg
- Adults above 45 years          1200 mg
- Old aged persons above 65 years 1300 mg
Foods to eat for bone health.
1. Milk & other dairy products
Milk and other dairy products like cheese, and butter are rich sources of calcium. They are the natural calcium boosters as they are easily digestible and our body absorbs the calcium easily compared to other sources of calcium. One glass of milk(200 ml)Â contains roughly 300 mg of calcium.
So on average, two glasses of milk is enough to fulfill the daily requirement of vitamins for bone health.
Apart from this cheese, butter is also a good source of calcium. Including these foods in your diet daily greatly increases the calcium level in your body.
Also, milk is full of several other nutrients & vitamins like vitamins A, C, and E needed for our body. That is the reason milk is considered a complete food and widely consumed by all age groups from children to aged persons.
Care should be taken to avoid excess milk intake as it will lead to stomach upset and indigestion.
2. Soybeans
These are well-known sources for the best plant-based protein. But it also contains a considerable amount of calcium needed for our body. You can make the curry of soya bean or add it to other dishes. This food should be included in your diet to fulfill the calcium requirement for the bones to maintain bone health.
3. Nuts and seeds
Nuts like walnuts, almonds & peanuts contain several vitamins like E, A, and K along with fat and calcium. It should be taken in controlled amounts to reap the maximum benefits as most of the nuts are rich in fat which may increase the cholesterol level and lead to other cardiovascular diseases.
Seeds like chia seeds and poppy seeds contain sufficient amounts of calcium along with other vital nutrients like fatty acids and antioxidants. chia seeds also contain boron which helps to metabolize calcium. It also contains Magnesium & phosphorus which are needed for strong bones and teeth.
4. Small fishÂ
Several small fish like sardines, and tuna which we eat as a whole without removing the bones help in improving the calcium levels in our body. The small bones of these fish increase the calcium intake.
5. Green leafy vegetables
Some green leafy vegetables like broccoli, collard green, turnip green, kale, and cabbage are rich sources of calcium. It can be incorporated into our diet to maintain the calcium level in our bones to have strong bones and teeth.
Although spinach is rich in calcium, it has the quality of forming salts in the form of oxalates by combining with the calcium in our body. So persons having any bone-related disease should avoid spinach to control calcium depletion due to oxalate formation.
6. Tofu
Tofu is popularly known as bean curd. It is prepared from soya milk by coagulating to form curd and then pressed into shapes as per the required softness. One cup of tofu contains roughly 400 mg of calcium. So it is a very good source of calcium for maintaining strong bones.
7. Yogurt
Yogurt is also a good source of calcium and other vital nutrients. a 200 ml cup of yogurt contains approximately 250 ms of calcium.
Also, yogurt is considered a good probiotic that helps in digestion to metabolize the calcium in our food.
8. Egg
It is a good source of protein which is well known for muscle building. Apart from this, its yellow yolk contains a sufficient amount of vitamin D. According to research made by NIH there is a direct relationship between whole egg consumption and increased bone health.
9. Fruits
Several fruits like bananas and oranges are good sources of calcium. Oranges are rich in vitamin C which acts like an antioxidant. Antioxidants help to prevent cell damage.
Bananas also contain vitamin K which helps to absorb the calcium from foods. It can be taken in whole form or in the form of a banana shake to achieve the maximum benefits.
10. Beans
Beans like green beans, soya beans, and peas are rich in fiber, protein, and calcium. It also contains a substance called phytates which minimizes the calcium absorption from the beans.
However, the phytate level can be reduced by soaking the beans in fresh water for a few hours and then cooking in fresh water.
Including these foods greatly improves the calcium percentage in your body and helps to increase bone health vitamins like vitamin D.
11. Soya drink
It is the juice of soybeans. It is an excellent source of calcium for persons with having allergy to milk. It can be further fortified with other nutrients to get maximum benefits.
Conclusion
We need a variety of foods rich in calcium to have strong bones and teeth. Along with this, enough exposure to sunlight is necessary to generate bone health vitamins like vitamin D which is essential for calcium absorption. Also, other foods rich in magnesium and phosphorus help in calcium absorption,
In old age, other bone strength supplements are to be taken to maintain the vitamin D level.
For maintaining healthy bones several weight lifting exercises are to be followed regularly to increase bone mineral density which at older age helps to prevent critical bone-related diseases.