The Calcium Side Your Bones Crave
Keep your skeleton strong and fracture-free by serving that calcium supplement with a salad on the side.
Salad? Yep, salad. A 4-year study found that older adults with the highest intakes of carotenoids -- think tomatoes, carrots, and leafy greens for major sources -- retained more bone mineral density than folks eating fewer fruits and veggies.
Antioxidant Bone Protection
Fruits and vegetables are bursting with antioxidants called carotenoids -- including compounds like lycopene, beta carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin, to name a few. Don't bother trying to pronounce them. Just know that veggie-stacked salads will probably provide your daily needs and then some. (Not a fan of raw? Here are two veggies that are actually better for you when cooked.)
How They Work
Carotenoids may protect bones by stymieing the oxidative stress thought to play a role in age-related weakening of bones. Carotenoids may also act synergistically with vitamin D to boost bone-cell growth. Still need more reasons to eat extra fruits and veggies? Try these:
- They give you a more brilliant smile. Here's how to eat your way to whiter teeth.
- They give you better breath. Not the more kissable kind . . . but the lung-billowing kind.
- They help slim you down. Drop pounds fast with these juicy fruits.
Is there a difference between low bone mineral density and osteoporosis? Find out here.
Inverse association of carotenoid intakes with 4-y change in bone mineral density in elderly men and women: the Framingham Osteoporosis Study. Sahni, S. et al., American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2009 Jan;89(1):416-424.
