As we get older, our bones start to weaken, and it is important to take the necessary steps to counteract this. While we cannot totally stop the natural ageing process, there are different things you can do to reduce your chances of osteoporosis. For example, check out this calcium supplement for osteoporosis. This is a great way to make sure you get the daily intake of calcium that you require. As well as ensuring you get the minerals and nutrients you need, there are also a number of foods that you need to avoid. Read on to discover more about seven of the worst foods for bone health.
1. High-sodium foods
There is only one place to begin, and this is with foods that are high in sodium. After all, the more salt that you consume, the more calcium you are going to lose. A study conducted in 2016 by the Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that osteoporosis was more common in men that had a habit of eating salty foods. This is not the only study that has found similar results. Earlier this year, the journal Osteoporosis International carried out a similar study on postmenopausal women, with the same results.
2. Red meat
If you eat too much animal protein, it can leach calcium from your bones. You should make sure that only consume red meat once or twice a week and that your portions are small.
3. Inflammatory foods
Inflammatory foods include nightshade vegetables, such as eggplant, white potatoes, peppers, mushrooms and tomatoes. These foods can lead to bone inflammation, which is a cause of osteoporosis.
4. Alcohol
Taking it easy on the booze is important if you are going to maintain bone health. Heavy and chronic alcohol consumption is known to contribute to delayed fracture healing, an increased risk of fractures, decreased bone formation and low bone mass.
5. Legumes
You may be shocked to learn that legumes are actually bad for you when it comes to bone health. The prime culprits are peas, navy beans and pinto beans. They can stop your body from absorbing calcium. This is because they are high in phytate, which is a substance that interferes with the body’s ability to absorb the bean’s calcium. You don’t need to eliminate beans from your diet altogether, but make sure you soak them in water before cooking them to reduce phytate level.
6. Caffeine
Are you someone who relies on caffeine to get them through the day? Caffeine saps bone strength because it leaches calcium from bones. In fact, for every 100 mgs of caffeine you consume, you are going to lose approximately 6 mg of calcium.
7. Soda
While drinking cola can be very tempting, try to resist. Drinking a lot of soda can negatively impact your bone health. We are not saying you can never indulge, but it is important to reduce your intake. If you drink seven or more sofas per week, you increase the risk of a fracture due to a reduction in bone mineral density.
Now you know what foods you need to avoid if you are to maintain bone health and strength. This is something we often do not consider until it is too late. After all, we can’t see our bones, and we often do not realise that there is a problem until we experience pain. However, the best thing to do is make sure that it does not get to this stage. So, make sure you take the advice provided in this post and avoid the foods that have been mentioned above.
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