After 50, These 5 Foods Should Be Considered To Take For Strong Bones
For the last many years I had been suffering from RA that is rheumatoid arthritis and recently I went through a bone scan to check my bone density after 55. The results showed a set of strong bones to my relief. I have realized that there are certain food items that are important for bone strength. Today let us talk about foods for bone health and strength.
Osteoporosis is one very common health problem that makes bones brittle and easy to break. The main reason for osteoporosis is due to the deficiency of calcium as well as Vitamin D. It has been seen that women suffer more from this disease. As a result, women require more calcium and Vitamin D on a daily basis.
Calcium is a mineral that supports bones and teeth. Vitamin D is a must to improve calcium absorption in the body. As women age, their bodies require more calcium as well as Vitamin D. The probability of Osteoporosis increases as women cross 50. Here it is important to note that adults up to age 50 require 1000 mg of calcium and 200 IUs of Vitamin D per day. In the same manner, adults over 50 must have 1200 mg of calcium and 600 IUs of Vitamin D per day. The question is that are we managing to get that amount of calcium as well as Vitamin D without fail.
Let us know which foods need to be included that are rich in calcium and Vitamin D to keep bones healthy.
Top 5 foods for bone health and strength after 50
1. Dairy
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Milk, curd, cottage cheese are a great source of calcium and Vitamin D. Nowadays we find various dairy brands which offer Vitamin D and calcium-fortified dairy. These contain extra calcium and Vitamin D than regular dairy. Since milk contains a lot of calcium, so milk products contain a lot of calcium. Cheese contains some Vitamin D and a lot of calcium. As per sources 1.5 ounces of cheese contains more than 30% of RDA of calcium. Milk in itself contains around 30% of RDA of calcium. There are certain milk brands that are fortified with Vitamin D. Interestingly milk contains fewer calories using milk as a wonderful option for calcium.
2. Salmon, Tuna, and Catfish
Vitamin D, as we all know well is hard to be found in foods naturally but Salmon is one food that is the best source of Vitamin D. A single serving of salmon usually contains more than 100% of RDA of Vitamin D. We must know that Salmon is also a very good source of Omega-3 fatty acid. Catfish is the least expensive fish and one of the best sources of Vitamin D than any other fish variety. Another fatty fish is Tuna that has a high level of Vitamin D. One serving of tuna is known to provide 39% of RDA of Vitamin D along with magnesium, potassium, and omega-3 fatty acids.
3. Spinach and green leafy vegetables
It comes to the problem of allergy to some individuals with dairy products. Therefore for them, the best source to get calcium is to eat green leafy vegetables such as collard green, kale, watercress, arugula, and broccoli. Among these collard green gives 25% of the RDA of calcium.
Spinach can be the best source of calcium for those who don’t like the taste of other green vegetables. There is 25% of the RDA of calcium in one cooked spinach!
4. Almonds and almond butter
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Almonds are very common food items these days and almond butter has almost negligible cholesterol. Almond butter is low on fat, and high in protein than many other types of butter. Almonds contain higher calcium in each serving as compared to other types of nuts. So now what are you waiting for? Go have a handful of almonds or consume some almond butter to make your bones healthy after 50.
5. Fortified cereals and Soya products
These days there are various brands that are preparing and marketing ready-to-eat whole grain cereals which are fortified with calcium and vitamin D. One serving of such cereals contains 25% of RDA of Vitamin D.
Similarly, soya product like soy drink is a good source of calcium. One serving of 200ml of drink contains 178 mg of calcium. Tofu is another one as a single serving of tofu contains 372 mg of calcium.
Do add these foods to your diet and keep your bones healthy. Do comment on which foods you prefer for calcium and Vitamin D.
If you are above 50, do let us know what do you eat for your bone health and strength.
Featured Image by Kafeel Ahmed via Pexels
