We’ve all been taught that proper nutrition is essential to building stronger bones. Fortunately, there are many calcium-rich foods and beverages you can incorporate into your daily diet. An added benefit is that while you improve your bone health, you’ll also improve your overall health.

• Calcium—A significant percentage of your bone density is made up of calcium. This mineral is not produced naturally by your body, so it must be consumed through calcium-rich foods, beverages or supplements.

  Calcium consumption and bone health are directly related. Just as children need calcium to build bone, older adults need calcium to preserve bone density. How much calcium you need depends on your age. The National Academy of Science recommends that people between the ages of 19 and 50 get at least 1,000 mg of calcium a day, while people 51 and older get at least 1,200 mg a day. To give you an idea of how you can meet your daily calcium requirement, one cup of yogurt contains 300 mg of calcium, while a cup of broccoli contains 90 mg.

  There are a variety of foods and beverages rich in calcium, with milk being the most well-known. If you can’t tolerate milk or other dairy products like yogurt and cheese, there are many other foods that are excellent sources of calcium, including:

  • Soybeans
  • Tofu
  • Kidney beans
  • Chickpeas
  • Green beans
  • Almonds
  • Brazil nuts
  • Calcium-fortified orange juice, breakfast cereal, granola bars and soy beverages
  
  Modest amounts of calcium can also be found in:
  
  
  • Spinach
  • Kale
  • Broccoli
  • Collards
  • Oranges
  • Prunes
  • Raisins

• Vitamin D—Vitamin D is essential in helping your body absorb calcium, so it plays a very important role in your bone health as well. The older you are, the more vitamin D your body needs. The National Academy of Science recommends that people from birth to the age of 50 get at least 200 IU of vitamin D a day, people 51 to 70 get at least 400 IU a day, and people older than 71 get at least 600 IU a day. Not many foods naturally contain significant amounts of vitamin D, but vitamin D-fortified milk is a good source.

In addition to calcium and vitamin D, there are other vitamins and minerals that can help improve bone density.

• Magnesium—Found in dark green vegetables such as spinach, kale and romaine lettuce, and also in bananas, oranges and tomatoes.
• Potassium—Found in green, leafy vegetables and fruits, like oranges and bananas.
• Vitamin K—Found in broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, spinach, soy products, strawberries and liver. Best to consume with a little fat or oil to help absorption.
• Vitamin C—Found in oranges, grapefruit, lemons, cantaloupe, strawberries, peppers, broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower, tomatoes and potatoes.

Ask your healthcare provider if BONIVA is right for you, and find out how to get one month free.

Please consult with your healthcare provider before making any changes to your diet. Changes in diet alone may be inadequate for the treatment of osteoporosis.