The Surprising Foods That Harm Your Bones
When it comes to bone health, the first and foremost thing is to increase your daily calcium intake. But this does not mean that meeting your daily calcium requirements alone makes your bones stronger. Although most bone growth occurs in childhood and adolescence, it is important to take care to maintain bone health, as bone loss begins in your mid-thirties.
Healthy bones are made from the little diet decisions you make throughout the day. What we eat and what we don't make a big difference in bone health. Therefore, diet can make bones better or worse. Since foods rich in calcium and vitamin D help strengthen bones, there are also some foods that can weaken bones.
Foods That Harm Bone Health
Here is a list of foods that can harm your bone health and should be limited or avoided entirely, depending on the condition of your bones.
Salty foods
The more salt you consume, the more calcium you lose. Sodium is known to cause excessive excretion of calcium through the kidneys. For optimal bone health, the body requires a certain sodium-to-potassium ratio. When sodium intake rises, there will be an imbalance of too much sodium and not enough potassium. Osteoporosis develops as a result of this progressive bone loss. Limiting salty foods and opting for foods that are free of or low in added salt can be beneficial for bone health.
Foods rich in iron
Although iron is good for your health, too much is not good for your bones. When iron-rich foods are eaten with calcium-rich foods, iron interferes with calcium absorption and causes bone loss. Therefore, one should avoid iron-rich foods and consume those that are rich in calcium to maximize calcium absorption.
Carbonated drinks
Consuming many carbonated beverages, such as sodas and soft drinks, can negatively affect bone health. This is due to the high amounts of phosphoric acid present in them. The phosphoric acid in carbonated beverages causes increased levels of acidity in the blood. This leads the body to extract calcium from the bones to reduce the acidity levels of the blood. As a result, bone mineral density decreases and fracture risk rises.
Sugary snacks
High sugar intake can definitely affect bone health. Eating sugary snacks can make your bones more susceptible to lower bone mass, injury, and osteoporosis later in life. It is not necessary to give up sugar completely but to go for natural sugar in moderate amounts.
Foods rich in protein
Protein is an essential nutrient for the body. It takes about 1 g / kg of body weight. Since high protein diets have become very popular these days, people often have to consume more protein than they need. Excess protein intake leads to calcium stress and results in weaker bones. People who receive excess protein, especially in the form of animal protein are at increased risk for reduced bone density. Therefore, consume the necessary amounts of protein to achieve a balance.
Caffeine
Coffee, teas, and some soft drinks contain caffeine. Consuming too many caffeinated beverages lowers the body's ability to absorb calcium and affects bone health. When 100 mg of caffeine is consumed, approximately 6 mg of calcium is lost. Caffeine coupled with sugary meals has a higher impact on bone health, especially in women after menopause. If your daily caffeine intake exceeds 400 mg, your bones weaken and you are at increased risk of fractures.
Spinach
Green leafy vegetables are rich in calcium. But the oxalates present in them block the absorption of calcium and make it unavailable to the body. This is not the same for all green leafy vegetables, but some, like spinach and kale, interfere with calcium absorption. So to get the health benefits of leafy greens, eat them with calcium-containing foods that are easily absorbed by the body, such as cheese.
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Certain habits can affect your bones.,Drinking alcohol. Too much alcohol can damage your bones. It can also put you in danger of fracturing a bone if you fall.,Cigarette smoking. Smokers have weaker bones than non-smokers. Women who smoke after menopause are even more likely to have fractures
That is why you should avoid doing everything on this list.,Live a sedentary lifestyle. Exercise is good for many things, and building strong bones is certainly one of them.,Get insufficient amounts of calcium and vitamin D.,Drink excessive amounts of alcohol,Make poor dietary decisions,Smoking cigarettes.
But once your bones have weakened from osteoporosis, you may have signs and symptoms that include:,Back pain, caused by a fractured or collapsed vertebra.,Loss of height over time.,A stooped posture.