If one of your health goals is keeping your bones strong as you age, you probably already know that doing weight-bearing exercises is important. But what you eat is crucial too. As a kid, maybe you had a glass of milk with dinner every night and were told to eat your broccoli, a veggie rich in calcium, which is a key nutrient for bone health. But often these habits are left behind as we get older.
We start losing bone density as early as age 30 , so if you’re older than that, it’s especially important to incorporate bone health-supporting foods into your diet every day. How exactly can you do this? Here, endocrinologists give their best tips on eating for bone health, and recommend one unexpected food that’s especially good for your bones.
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How What You Eat Can Keep Your Bones Strong
When it comes to bone health, Dr. Amber Wheeler, MD , an endocrinologist and advisor for Hey Freya , says there are two key nutrients to focus on: calcium and vitamin D. “Calcium is a mineral needed for growing and maintaining strong bones. Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium more effectively,” she says.
While the primary way to get enough vitamin D is through sunlight, calcium is found in a variety of foods. According to the National Institutes of Health , it’s recommended to get between 1,000 and 1,200 milligrams of calcium a day. “Calcium is in foods such as dairy products like milk, cheese and yogurt as well as dark leafy greens such as kale, bok choy, cabbage, mustard greens and turnips,” Dr. Wheeler says, namechecking several foods that are especially rich in calcium.
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Dr. Wheeler adds that nuts such as almonds, walnuts and hazelnuts as well as calcium-fortified foods including some cereals, juices, soy drinks and tofu are also good dietary sources of calcium. “For those who are lactose intolerant, many alternatives, such as soy, almond and rice milk are often fortified with calcium,” she says.
Dr. Janet Rubin, MD , an endocrinologist and professor at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, says that one nutrient that many people don’t realize is important for bone health is protein. “Protein is important for preserving and building muscle. Loss of muscle during aging is associated with frailty, falling and fractures,” she says.
Getting enough protein is especially important for adults 65 and older because we lose muscle as we age . Upping your protein intake can help preserve muscle. It’s recommended to get .8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. This means that someone who is 165 pounds (75 kilograms) , for example, should get 60 grams of protein a day.
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An Unexpected Food That’s Good for Your Bones
Dr. Wheeler says that one food that’s especially great for bone health that many people don’t know is chia seeds. “Chia seeds are a good source of protein, potassium and fiber. One ounce of chia seeds has about 14% of the recommended daily allowance of calcium and is also rich in magnesium and phosphorus, which are important nutrients for bone health,” she says.
When eating chia seeds, it’s important to soak them first . Otherwise, you may overload your digestive system with too much fiber at once. Ways to soak chia seeds while getting them ready to eat include incorporating them into overnight oats or making chia seed pudding—a food Dr. Wheeler says her kids love.
You can make chia seed pudding with just a handful of ingredients: Greek yogurt, milk (or alternative milk), cinnamon, maple syrup and, of course, chia seeds. Place the cinnamon and chia seeds in a small container and shake it to ensure the cinnamon coats the seeds. Then, add the milk and yogurt to the container. Mix it all together and place in the refrigerator for at least one hour or overnight. When it’s ready, you can top it with your favorite fruit and nuts.
Remember, diet and exercise are both important for maintaining bone health as we age. You could even enjoy some chia seed pudding as a post-workout snack after doing your resistance training! The Greek yogurt and chia seeds provide protein to help the body recover from a workout.
Aging does not mean becoming frail or weak. By incorporating foods into your diet that support your muscles and bone health, you can stay strong no matter how old you are.
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