Top 10 bone-building foods – See calcium rich foods you should always have in your diet.
💪💪THE BONE: FOODS FOR BONE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT💪💪
Some months ago, there was this woman in my neighborhood, a petty trader, she had a baby of about a year plus who still crawls on the floor, yet to walk. One day my granny asked the woman “why is your baby not walking yet?” Is it not my relatives, they don’t care about me or my baby, they don’t want to give money to take care of my baby– said the woman. My granny told her to start giving her baby 1 boiled egg per day and to ensure that the egg is soft boiled. Two weeks later, the baby started walking. Till date the woman still regard my granny as a lifesaver….
This article is about the bone and foods that supports its growth and development… Let’s look at what a bone is:
👉A bone is a rigid organ that constitutes part of the vertebrate skeleton. Bones support and protect the various organs of the body, produce red and white blood cells, store minerals, provide structure and support for the body, and enable mobility. Bones come in a variety of shapes and sizes and have a complex internal and external structure. They are lightweight yet strong and hard, and serve multiple functions.
👉Poor bone health can cause conditions such as rickets in children, osteomalacia in adults, osteoporosis mostly in women, and increase the risk of breaking a bone from a fall later in life.
👉Calcium is the most important mineral for bone health, and it’s the main mineral found in the bones.
Because old bone cells are constantly broken down and replaced by new ones, it’s important to consume calcium daily to protect bone structure and strength.
Top 10 bone-building foods – See calcium rich foods
FOODS FOR BONE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT:
A healthy balanced diet will help you build strong bones from an early age and maintain them throughout your life.
For healthy development sufficient calcium is needed to strengthen your bones and vitamin D to help your body absorb calcium.
1. MILK
Dairy products, including milk, are an excellent source of calcium, phosphorus, protein and other nutrients that are important both for bone and overall health.Under-consumption of calcium and vitamin D can lead to negative health outcomes, including osteoporosis and osteopenia. Evidence strongly supports the benefits of dairy products for bone and muscle health. Studies have shown that bone loss is reduced and there is an improvement in muscle mass and strength with adequate dairy intake.
When we think about calcium, the first source that comes to our mind is milk. Easily digestible and absorbable, milk is one of the best high calcium foods. An amazing vehicle for building bones from childhood to adulthood. A 100g whole powder cow milk contains 968mg of calcium essential for healthy bone development.
2. YOGHURT
A Serving of 100g provides 184 mg of calcium:
Available in various flavours, yoghurt is a dairy product which contains healthy bacteria for your gut. With 184 mg of calcium in a serving of 100g , this protein-rich diet is an amazing substitute to milk.
3. ORANGE 🍊🍊-
Orange helps in boosting our immune system because of its high Vitamin C content. Also, this magical fruit is also in the list of high calcium foods with vitamin D, which is crucial for absorption of calcium in the body. One medium size of orange contains 40 mg of calcium.
4.GREEN LEAFY VEGETABLE 🌿🍀-
High in dietary fibre, green leafy vegetables
are one of the high calcium foods. With a number of options like spinach, kale, celery and broccoli, these veggies are also rich in potassium and magnesium.
Every serving of broccoli serves your bones well. This cruciferous vegetable is a good source of calcium, and it’s also packed with vitamin K, a nutrient that is essential for the formation of osteocalcin (a type of protein found only in bone). A diet rich in vitamin K has been linked to a lower risk of fractures in some populations, so load up on this vegetable to help slow bone loss and reduce your risk of breaking a bone later in life. Because broccoli is high in fiber and low in calories, it can also help you manage your weight.
5.OILY FISH
Salmon, mackerel, sardines, trout and herring are all examples of oily fish.
Oily fish are high in long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, which may help to prevent heart disease. They are also good sources of vitamin D which helps to absorb calcium.
Some oily fish contains bones that you can eat. These include whitebait, canned sardines, pilchards and tinned salmon (but not fresh salmon). These fish can help keep our bones strong because they are good sources of calcium and phosphorus.
6. ALMONDS 🌰🌰
Of all nuts, almonds are among the highest in calcium — 100g of Indian almond delivers 125mg of calcium.
Almonds also contains little fiber as well as healthy fats and protein. In addition, they’re an excellent source of magnesium and phosphorus amongst other nutrients beneficial to health.
7. OKRO
Okra or okro known in many English-speaking countries as ladies’ fingers or ochro, is a flowering plant in the mallow family.
Okra has been shown to provide ample calcium, magnesium, potassium, folate, vitamin c; and by so doing, it helps in preventing both calcium deficiency and other nutrient deficiencies.
8.EGGS
High in Quality Protein, With All the Essential Amino Acids in the Right Ratios.
Proteins are the main building blocks of the human body.
They’re used to make all sorts of tissues and molecules that serve both structural and functional purposes.
Eggs are an excellent source of protein, with a single large egg containing six grams of it.
Eggs also contain all the essential amino acids in the right ratios, so your body is well-equipped to make full use of the protein in them.
Eating enough protein can help with weight loss, increase muscle mass, lower blood pressure and optimize bone health, to name a few.
9. WHITE/BROWN BEANS
Beans both white and brown, a low glycemic food, contains ample calcium. Even more, they’re rich in protein and fiber. So as with almonds, beans contribute to a healthy diet, which when sustained ensures that your body can maintain bone density.
You can easily toss white beans into a salad, stir a handful into soups and stews, or add it to a side dish.
10. Other calcium rich foods
Calcium is not just for growing kids as adults need it, too, to ensure bone and muscle strength, proper blood clotting, and better nerve impulse regulation.
These functions make calcium-rich items great foods after surgery. Since dairy, a common calcium source, increases the risk of constipation, we may want to rely on other options, such as sardines, lencoriander, prunes, basil, kale, sweet potato, salmon,tofu, dark leafy greens, soybeans and calcium-fortified products, such as cereals and orange juice. If we are able to tolerate dairy without getting constipated, consider choosing the low-fat alternatives.😀😀
👉Bone health is important at all stages of life.
However, having strong bones is something people tend to take for granted, as symptoms often don’t appear until bone loss is advanced.
Fortunately, there are many nutrition and lifestyle habits that can help build and maintain strong bones — and it’s never too early to start.
This article is the intellectual property of:
-Somy Wilson
-Adimchi Dike Adile
-Okereke Soromfechi
-Buikem Anisiobi ChukwukaSubsidy
-Ogechi Demian
-Ifechukwu Genevive
Authors of Nutrition Life
