Your body’s complete structure is based on your bones. They not only protect the vital organs of your body (for example, your heart and brain) but also help you in maintaining stability, performing movements and basically, the complete framework of your body depends upon your bones. To make your bones healthy and strong, you need to eat healthy food and spend some time exercising.
Katherine Tucker, PHD, who is Tufts University bone researcher, says that there is a constant process of building up and breaking down in healthy bones and they require specific nutrients, besides vitamin C and D to maintain that balance.
Some of these important nutrients to improve your bone health are mentioned below:
1. Potassium
Potassium maintains the body’s acid levels, keeping it in a narrow range that helps to keep healthy bones strong. Potassium is very important and our body needs 4,700 mg potassium per day. Some main sources of potassium include some fruits, potatoes, green leafy vegetables, fish, raisins and yogurt.
To consume the recommended potassium every day, you should drink orange juice (6 ounces contain 1,435 mg potassium), eat raisins (one cup contains 1,086 mg potassium), fish (one fillet has 916 mg potassium in it) and drink fat free milk (8 ounces contain 850 mg potassium).
2. Magnesium
Magnesium and calcium combine together to build up the bone mass at the top of the platform formed by the proteins.
Green vegetables, wholegrain cereals, beans, nuts and seafood are good sources of magnesium. Our body needs 400 grams magnesium, as recommended by nutritionists.
You can get this by eating oat bran (1/2 cup contains 110 mg), pumpkin seeds (1 ounce contains 151 mg magnesium), artichokes (eat them cooked, ½ cup contains 50 mg magnesium) and brown rice (eat cooked; ½ cup contains 42 mg magnesium).
3. Proteins
Proteins are very important nutrients for bone health as they play a vital role in the formation of the base of the bone. They create a platform around which, healthy bones are formed. You should consume 46 to 56 grams protein per day. The best sources of protein are yogurt, lean beef, eggs, milk, soy and cheese.
To get the recommended protein intake per day, you can eat Cottage cheese (one cup contains 28 grams protein), ground Turkey (one patty contains 22 grams protein) and tofu (1/4 block contains 7 grams protein).
4. Vitamin K
Besides vitamin C and D, vitamin K is also very important for our bones as it also helps in building up and strengthening the scaffolding of the bone. 90 grams vitamin K consumption every day is recommended.
You can easily get this by eating 1 cup of cooked broccoli, spinach or Brussels sprouts.
5. Vitamin B12
An increase in the levels of an amino acid called homocysteine makes your bones weak. Vitamin B12 is essential to prevent the rise in the levels of homocysteine and helps to maintain the strength and stability of the bones.
You can take multivitamins to get the recommended amount of vitamin B12 that is 2.4 mcg.
Taking proper care of your bones at an early age prevents them from being damaged when you get old. You should make sure that you are consuming all the nutrients that are essential for your bones so you do not have to face any pains or discomforts later.
