Apparently, there’s more to building strong bones than just eating dairy products alone. So how does eating salad helps to build strong bones?
Let’s find out how…
Explanation
A recently published research revealed, that oldest adults with the highest amount or intake of the antioxidants called carotenoids, retained more bone mineral density than people who are consuming fewer vegetables and fruits. Carotenoids are found in carrots, leafy vegetables and tomatoes. Compounds such as beta carotene, lutein, lycopene and zeaxanthin are also present in vegetables.
The study also revealed that compounds present in vegetables and fruits namely potassium salt, help build strong bones by reducing the rate of bone resorption and breakdown, thus reducing the amount of calcium you let out through urine.
The process of bone resorption involves a natural process, together with bone formation. But sometimes, there’s more bone breakdown than growth, leading to weak and fragile bones. Therefore, reducing resorption might help prevent osteoporosis or benefit people who already have it.
Conclusion
To increase your consumption of vegetables, choose fresh produce that are rich in potassium like beet greens, spinach, avocados, sweet potatoes, oranges, beets, raisins and edamame. These foods contain potassium citrate, which is converted to potassium bicarbonate in the body. Dark, leafy and green vegetables are also a good source of bone-building magnesium, calcium, and vitamin K, which benefits your bones a lot.
But keep this in mind, while salad with fruits and vegetables will help a lot in increasing your bone strength, they are not enough to provide all the vitamin D and calcium your body needs.
So don’t avoid dairy products at all. If you cannot eat dairy products for some health reasons, choose other alternatives, such as sardines, soy milk, almonds and salmons.
