5 Food To Help You Build Strong Bones

Eating right is about more than managing your weight. You’ve got to take in the right balance of nutrients, vitamins and minerals to keep all the systems in your body functioning properly, and to keep your bones and muscles strong and healthy.

In our weight-focused culture, it’s easy to get so focused on the fat and calories in the food we eat that we fail to consider how a particular meal will affect the entire body. Do you know what nutrients were in your last meal? How will that meal help keep your body’s structure strong?

* Yogurt

Most yogurts are fortified with vitamin D, and depending on the brand, you could get 30 percent of your daily calcium intake from yogurt.

* Milk

Though it’s a staple in kids’ diets, many adults don’t drink milk. An eight-ounce glass of fat-free milk will provide you with 30 percent of your daily dose of calcium. Buy milk fortified with vitamin D, and you’ll get even more benefits.

* Salmon and Tuna

Not only is it good for your heart, but salmon is also good for your bones! Just three ounces of sockeye salmon contains more than your full daily dose of vitamin D. Tuna is another great source of vitamin D, although it doesn’t contain quite as much as salmon (just about 39 percent of your daily dose).

* Spinach

Don’t skip out on the greens, especially spinach. Just one cup of cooked spinach contains 25 percent of the daily recommended dose of calcium. It also contains plenty of fiber, iron and vitamin A. If you just can’t stomach spinach, make a fruit smoothie and add handful of fresh spinach. You’ll never know it’s there!

* Fortified foods

Store-bought foods like orange juice and some cereals are fortified with vitamins and minerals like vitamin D and calcium. Just check the labels to be sure what you’re buying will actually be beneficial to building strong bones.