In the UK, one in five men and one in two women over the age of 50 will break a bone due to poor bone health. There are an estimated 3 million people suffering from osteoporosis in this country. And your diet can be an important way to fight back against the disease. Here are three foodstuffs to avoid if you want strong bones.
Sugar and saturated fat
It’s no surprise to find that sugar and saturated fat are something to avoid if you want healthy bones. Experts agree that sugar and saturated fat should generally be kept to a minimum if you want a healthy lifestyle. Too much sugar prevents calcium absorption, and saturated fats can form insoluble coats on the intestines. Calcium is the most important nutrient for strong bones and so it’s important your body can process it properly.
Salt
Experts often advise that salt intake should be limited, but it also seems that salt is just as bad for your bones as sugar and fat. Salt is often heavily present in processed foods so it can be easy to eat too much of it without even realising that you’re doing it. Try to avoid processed food and keep salt to a minimum.
Caffeine
Remember that caffeine isn’t only found in tea and coffee; you get plenty of it in fizzy drinks and chocolate as well. Caffeine is only very bad for us in very high doses, so as long as you temper yourself and don’t go crazy then you should be fine.