Bone strength tied to more than calcium

  • By Barbara Quinn The Monterey County Herald
  • Monday, April 13, 2015 3:29pm
  • Life

“Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it,” my mom used to say. That’s why we always had plenty of food for holidays and why I still tend to over pack when I travel.

When it comes to nutrition, this wisdom could apply to the process of building strong bones. While babies are still in the womb, calcium and other bone-building nutrients are mobilized to develop their skeletal structure. During childhood, bones continue to grow in size and density. Peak bone mass — when our bones achieve their genetically determined optimal size and density — occurs for most of us between the ages of 18 to 25 years.

As we get older, we begin to lose more bone than we make, says the National Osteoporosis Foundation. And this is when earlier investments in our bone bank begins to pay off. If we don’t have it when we need it, we can develop osteoporosis, or “porous bones.”

Definitely, then, the most critical time to invest in bone building and strengthening is during the younger years. As we mature, our food choices help maintain what we have. An adequate supply of calcium and protein, for example, add strength and flexibility to our skeletal frame. And physical activity helps pump calcium into bones. A simple carton of yogurt before volleyball practice or a walk on the beach can help fortify bones, for example.

Vitamin D is essential as well. It helps the body absorb calcium and phosphorous, the minerals that give bones their strong framework. Without adequate vitamin D — from sunshine, food or supplements — bones become thin and brittle.

Collagen, a protein that allows our bones to bend without breaking, is manufactured in the body with the help of vitamin C. Think about that next time you grab an orange or throw some strawberries on your cereal.

Other nutrients critical for building and maintaining bone mass include potassium, magnesium and zinc — found in foods such as green leafy vegetables, beans, meat, fish, nuts, and whole grains.

Got the picture? Bone building takes more than calcium. Bones need a healthy dose of nutrients from all the major food groups, including fruits, vegetables, protein and high-calcium foods. Here are some good-for-your-bones foods:

Milk, yogurt, cheese, fatty fish like sardines and salmon, fortified soy beverages (calcium, protein, vitamin D)

Collard, turnip and mustard greens, kale, Chinese cabbage (bok choy), broccoli (calcium, potassium)

Tomatoes, raisins, prunes, bananas, spinach, potatoes, oranges (potassium)

Red and green peppers, oranges, grapefruit, broccoli, strawberries, Brussels sprouts, papaya (vitamin C)

Shellfish like oysters and crab, nuts and seeds, legumes, whole grains, yogurt (magnesium, zinc)

Like my mother said, Better to have it than to need it and not have it.

Barbara Quinn is a registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator at the Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula. Email her at bquinnchomp.org.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Life

Sarah Jean Muncey-Gordon puts on some BITCHSTIX lip oil at Bandbox Beauty Supply on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024, in Langley, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Bandbox Beauty was made for Whidbey Island locals, by an island local

Founder Sarah Muncey-Gordon said Langley is in a renaissance, and she’s proud to be a part of it.

A stroll on Rome's ancient Appian Way is a kind of time travel. (Cameron Hewitt)
Rick Steves on the Appian Way, Rome’s ancient superhighway

Twenty-nine highways fanned out from Rome, but this one was the first and remains the most legendary.

Byrds co-founder Roger McGuinn, seen here in 2013, will perform April 20 in Edmonds. (Associated Press)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

R0ck ‘n’ Roll Hall of Famer Roger McGuinn, frontman of The Byrds, plans a gig in Edmonds in April.

Mother giving in to the manipulation her daughter fake crying for candy
Can children be bribed into good behavior?

Only in the short term. What we want to do is promote good habits over the course of the child’s life.

Speech Bubble Puzzle and Discussion
When conflict flares, keep calm and stand your ground

Most adults don’t like dissension. They avoid it, try to get around it, under it, or over it.

The colorful Nyhavn neighborhood is the place to moor on a sunny day in Copenhagen. (Cameron Hewitt)
Rick Steves: Embrace hygge and save cash in Copenhagen

Where else would Hans Christian Andersen, a mermaid statue and lovingly decorated open-face sandwiches be the icons of a major capital?

Last Call is a festured artist at the 2024 DeMiero Jazz Festival: in Edmonds. (Photo provided by DeMiero Jazz Festival)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

Jazz ensemble Last Call is one of the featured artists at the DeMiero Jazz Festival on March 7-9 in Edmonds.

Kim Helleren
Local children’s author to read at Edmonds Bookshop

Kim Helleren will read from one of her books for kids at the next monthly Story Time at Edmonds Bookshop on March 29.

Chris Elliott
Lyft surprises traveler with a $150 cleaning charge

Jared Hakimi finds a $150 charge on his credit card after a Lyft ride. Is that allowed? And will the charge stick?

Inside Elle Marie Hair Studio in Smokey Point. (Provided by Acacia Delzer)
The best hair salon in Snohomish County

You voted, we tallied. Here are the results.

The 2024 Kia EV9 electric SUV has room for up to six or seven passengers, depending on seat configuration. (Photo provided by Kia)
Kia’s all-new EV9 electric SUV occupies rarified air

Roomy three-row electric SUVs priced below 60 grand are scarce.

2023 Toyota RAV4 Prime XSE Premium AWD (Photo provided by Toyota)
2023 Toyota RAV4 Prime XSE Premium AWD

The compact SUV electric vehicle offers customers the ultimate flexibility for getting around town in zero emission EV mode or road-tripping in hybrid mode with a range of 440 miles and 42 mile per gallon fuel economy.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.