Want to bolster your bones? Yes, calcium matters, as does weight-bearing exercise such as walking. But other powerful bone builders are lurking in your local market’s produce aisles. “A high fruit and vegetable intake is associated with improved bone mass,” says Felicia Cosman, M.D., clinical director of the National Osteoporosis Foundation, based in Washington, D.C.
This “produce effect” has been found in population studies in the U.S., England and Japan. It’s true in men and women, in teenagers and octogenarians: People who eat the most fruits and vegetables have the highest bone density. Higher bone density, in turn, is linked to a lower risk of osteoporosis, the brittle bone disease that affects 10 million
Americans, with another 34 million at risk. Older women are particularly vulnerable.
What’s so peachy about produce? Fruits and vegetables are rich in many bone-strengthening nutrients that fight osteoporosis, such as potassium, magnesium, vitamin K and vitamin C. An even more powerful benefit: “They may neutralize some of the acids in the body that lead to a higher rate of bone breakdown,” says Dr. Cosman.
When we digest animal foods, whether it’s a burger or broiled chicken, we produce acid. To counteract the acid, our bodies pull the mineral calcium—which is alkaline—out of our bones and into the bloodstream. Since produce, on the whole, is already alkaline, eating it balances acids and calcium stays in the bones.
To get the optimal benefit, though, you’ll need plenty. “We recommend nine servings of fruits and vegetables a day based on a 2,000 calorie diet, but Americans are getting less than half of that,” says Duke University Medical Center’s Pao-Hwa Lin, Ph.D., a researcher with an ongoing group of studies known as DASH. The so-called DASH diet (known for helping to lower high blood pressure) calls for two or three servings of low-fat dairy and two servings of lean protein and heaping helpings of produce per day. Recent studies show that DASH also helps prevent heart disease, lowers risk factors for type 2 diabetes—and builds bones, helping to prevent osteoporosis.
Can you eat nine a day? It’s easier than you think. A serving is only half a cup of cooked vegetable; pile your plate with a cup and a half of broccoli, and you’ve got three servings. The key, says Lin, is variety: “The next time you go to the market, try something new. I eat about ten different types of vegetables on a regular basis—and all kinds of fruit.”
So eat your fill of tasty fruits and veggies to prevent osteoporosis. Your bones will thank you for it!
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Robert A. Barnett is a writer for MediZine, LLC. Robert A. Barnett is Content Director of HealthyUpdates.com, a health education website produced by MediZine, LLC.
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