Avoid These 4 Foods for Better Bone Density

High Sodium Foods Bad for Bone Density
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Calcium is one of the essential building blocks for strong, healthy bones. In addition, Vitamin D is one of the optimal absorption factors to ensure these compounds are transported directly to the bones. At the same time, certain dietary choices have the potential to limit calcium absorption or even remove calcium from the body, partially counteracting the bone fortifying benefits provided by a high calcium diet. While your bones can still grow stronger without any changes to your diet, you can improve your progress by avoiding overindulgence in the following types of food and drink:

  1. High Sodium Foods

    Salty foods have been shown to cause excessive excretion of calcium through the urine, especially in postmenopausal women. Keeping your total sodium intake below 2,400 milligrams per day should prevent any impact on your bone density. The easiest way to do this is to limit your consumption of fast and processed foods, but cooking some of your meals at home from whole fresh foods can also help reduce the amount of sodium in your diet.

  2. Caffeine

    Studies have shown that caffeinated foods or beverages have the ability to both reduce the absorption of calcium and leach the mineral directly out of the bones. Two separate studies have determined that for every 6 oz cup of coffee, approximately 4 to 6 mg of calcium is lost. For this reason, even a few substitutions of caffeinated beverages in favor of decaffeinated coffee or teas can help limit the impact on your bone density.

  3. Alcohol

    Chronic and heavy consumption of alcohol has been shown to limit the absorption of calcium, decrease the formation of new bone, increase the incidence of fracture, and hamper the bone healing process. In addition, depending on your tolerance, drinking alcohol can impact your balance and increase the risk of fracture in the event of a fall. It is not necessary to completely abstain from alcohol. However, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, it is best to limit your consumption of alcohol to no more than 2 to 3 glasses per day.

  4. Red Meat

    While vegetable protein helps to retain bone density, animal protein can actually pull calcium out of the bones. In a study of 116,686 women over the course of 10 years, Harvard Medical School researchers found that women who ate red meat at least 5 times per week suffered a higher incidence of bone fractures than those who ate red meat just once per week. Substituting a few servings of red meat for fish or dark-green, leafy vegetables can help prevent loss of bone mass.

In the case of these four potential risk factors, as is the case with most things in life, moderation is key. Occasional indulgence with a bit of self-awareness and self-control will not interfere with the efforts you make to strengthen your bones.

Paul

Paul

Paul has been interested in medical research since his first organic chemistry class in college. He was a high school biology teacher for 32 years until retiring to spend more time reading, hiking, and camping with his wife and two dogs.

Email Paul at [email protected].

References

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  2. Coronado-Zarco R, Olascoaga-Gómez de León A. Reply on "Coffee consumption and bone health: A risk assessment". Osteoporos Sarcopenia. 2020 Mar;6(1):34-35. doi: 10.1016/j.afos.2020.02.006. Epub 2020 Mar 2. PMID: 32226832; PMCID: PMC7093681.
  3. Sampson HW. Alcohol's harmful effects on bone. Alcohol Health Res World. 1998;22(3):190-4. PMID: 15706795; PMCID: PMC6761900.