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by
dianne moeller
No doubt you have heard how important calcium is for your bone health, but that's not
all—calcium is needed for your heart to beat, your muscles to contract and relax,
your blood to clot and your nerves to send messages. Over time, if you don't consume
enough calcium, your body "steals" it from your bones to keep your heart and
muscles working properly.
What About Other Nutrients?
Calcium is only part of the story when it comes to building and maintaining strong bones.
Your bones consist of calcium and phosphorous crystals in a special collagen framework.
Other nutrients such as copper, manganese and vitamin K play significant roles in collagen
and bone formation. Milk is an excellent source of calcium and a good source of magnesium,
zinc, vitamin D, and phosphorous, but milk alone won't give you all the nutrients you need
for strong bones. Many other needed nutrients can only be found in fruits, vegetables,
legumes and whole grains—another reason to be sure you're getting five or more
servings of fruits and vegetables every day! (See the chart below for more information on
other important nutrients for strong bones and their food
sources.) |
| Remember, prevention is always better than treatment, so eat well now for strong bones
later. Calcium Robbers
Too much of some foods can rob your body of the calcium it needs. For example, your body
needs protein and sodium, but too much can cause you to lose calcium through your urine.
Sucrose (table sugar), and fructose (the corn syrup found in soft drinks and candy) have
also been shown to decrease calcium content and the breaking strength of bones.
Excess caffeine can also increase your urinary loss of nutrients such as magnesium,
calcium, sodium and potassium. Studies show that the combination of too much caffeine, and
not enough calcium, can reduce bone strength and increase the risk of hip fracture,
especially for women. |
Bone-building
nutrients
Vitamin D
sunshine, milk, supplements
Phosphorous
milk, poultry, nuts, whole grains, legumes, leafy green vegetables
Magnesium*
legumes, nuts, whole grains, some vegetables, milk
Copper*
legumes, nuts, whole grains
Manganese*
nuts, rice and other whole grains, leafy green vegetables |
Boron*
non-citrus fruits, leafy green
vegetables, nuts, legumes.
Zinc
seafood, milk, meat
Chromium
fruits, vegetables, brewer's yeast, wheat germ
Vitamin K
leafy green vegetables, liver
Iron
meat, legumes, eggs, dried fruits, leafy green vegetables, enriched grain products |
| *typically low in American diets (except
some vegetarian diets) |
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