Foods Good for Bone Resorption

Specialist Dietitian Şebnem Kandıralı Yıldırım gave information on the subject. Bone resorption (osteoporosis) means perforated, porous bone. The skeletal system has a fragile structure and bone fractures occur. Osteoporosis develops slowly over the years, and the rate of bone loss exceeds the rate of bone formation. Fractures usually occur in the wrist, hip, and spine. Although there is no cure for osteoporosis, its onset can be delayed. Early intervention can prevent bone fractures. Women are 5 times more likely to develop osteoporosis than men. Osteoporosis can occur at any age, but is most common in people aged 50 years and older. One in two women over the age of 50 or one in four men may experience a bone fracture due to osteoporosis. A bone-building diet and regular physical activity are important at all ages. Calcium is a vital mineral for building new bone cells, but it alone cannot build bones. It works with other vitamins and minerals to increase bone strength and mineralization. These are vitamin D, vitamin K, potassium, fluoride, magnesium, zinc, copper, manganese. For good health, eating a balanced and varied diet without going overboard will meet your calcium, protein, vitamin and mineral needs.

Vitamins/Minerals and Nutritional Sources

Calcium sources: Best sources: milk, yogurt, hard cheeses, cottage cheese.

Good resources: molasses, sesame, almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts and similar oil seeds, dark green leafy vegetables (broccoli, spinach, etc.), fish eaten with bones, calcium-enriched tofu, dried legumes and dried fruits.

Moderate resources: green vegetables, eggs, oranges, tangerines, lemons, strawberries…

Weak resources: cereals, other vegetables and fruits and meats.

Vitamin D sources: sunlight, egg yolks, fatty fish, fortified cereals, fruit juices, margarines and milks.

Vitamin K sources: Green leafy vegetables, legumes and fish.

Magnesium sources: Hard-shelled fruits such as almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, legumes, green leafy vegetables and grains.

Fluorine sources: Water, tea, fish (salmon)

Potassium sources: Banana, melon, kiwi, orange, grapefruit, apricot, bulgur, molasses, dried fruits, vegetables, dates, beets, broad beans, spinach, chard, sweet squash, mushrooms, celery, artichokes, vine leaves, potatoes, broccoli.

Magnesium sources: Hard-shelled fruits such as almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, legumes, green leafy vegetables and grains.

Zinc sources: Meats, cheese, seafood, milk, eggs, oil seeds (hazelnuts, peanuts, walnuts, etc.), bulgur, legumes, mushrooms.

Copper sources: Sesame, nuts, peanuts, etc., legumes, meats, fish, cocoa, eggs, green vegetables.

Manganese: Legumes, oil seeds, green leafy vegetables.

Who is at risk?

• Women,
• Those with thin, small skeletal structure,
• low testosterone level in men,
• Those with a family history of bone fractures or bad posture,
• Women who have gone through menopause before the age of 45 or have irregular periods,
• Those whose body weight is below ideal,
• Those with nutritional disorders (anorexia nervosa, bulimia, etc.),
• Those with low bone mineral density (women have less bone density than men),
• those over 50 years old,
• Those who use drugs for a long time (hormone, cancer, asthma, arthritis, etc.),
• Those with insufficient physical activity,
• Those who do not exercise regularly
• Those who consume insufficient milk and its products or other sources of vitamin D and calcium.

What should be done?

• Foods rich in vitamin D and calcium should be consumed.
• Consumption of vegetables and fruits that are good sources of potassium and magnesium (protective effect on bone mineral density) should be increased.
• Estrogen-like substances found in legumes, especially soy, have protective effects against osteoporosis. Try to consume legumes 1-2 times a week.
• Thanks to the essential fatty acids it contains, fish improves bone health. Fish should be eaten at least twice a week.
• No smoking or quitting.
• Alcohol should not be used, and if it is, it should not be overdone. A maximum of 1 drink per week for women and 2 drinks for men should not be exceeded.
• Regular weight and resistance exercises should be done. Physical activity for 4-30 minutes 60 times a week reduces the risk of bone fracture by 50-70%. Weight-bearing and resistance exercises such as dancing, tennis, brisk walking and swimming should be done.
• Excessive protein intake should be avoided. High amounts of animal protein should not be consumed.
• Excessive dieting, which leads to irregular menstrual cycles, should be abandoned.
• Excessive caffeine intake should be reduced. Instead of tea, coffee and cola drinks, non-caffeinated beverages with high nutritional content such as milk, ayran and fresh fruit juices should be preferred.

How much milk/dairy products should be consumed per day?

• 1 serving can be 1 cup (200 ml) of milk yogurt (about 4 tablespoons) or up to 30 g of cheese.
• Children aged 4-8 years need 800 mg of calcium daily, which can be met with 3 servings.
• Ages 9-18 need 1,300 mg of calcium daily, which can be met with 4 servings.
• Adults aged 19-50 years need 1,000 mg of calcium daily, which can be met with 3-4 servings.
• Adults over 50 need at least 1,200 mg of calcium daily, which can be met with 3 servings.