What to eat for strong bones – from oily fish to pitted prunes

Osteopenia, or loss of bone mass, occurs naturally as we age but this can sometimes develop into the more serious condition osteoporosis. It’s often referred to as the “silent disease” because although almost three million people in the UK are estimated to have osteoporosis, many don’t realise until they break a bone, which occurs in roughly 10 per cent of cases.

For women in particular, oestrogen deficiency following the menopause can cause rapid bone loss, which may lead to osteoporosis. About one in two women and one in five men over 50 will break a bone because of osteoporosis so it’s important to keep an eye on our bone health. Here are three easy ways to do it.

How to keep your bones strong

Don’t ditch dairy

The headline nutrient as far as bones are concerned is calcium and the recommended daily allowance in the UK is 700mg. Dairy is one of the best dietary sources of calcium; for example, 200ml of semi-skimmed milk provides 210mg of calcium. Non-dairy milks are popular these days but the equivalent volume of oat milk contains just 16mg of calcium so you’ll need to look elsewhere for a calcium boost. 

Green leafy vegetables, soya beans/tofu, nuts, seeds and oily fish (especially tinned sardines where you eat the little bones) are all good non-dairy sources.

Vitamin D is also critical for strong bones as it enables the body to absorb calcium. The body’s ability to produce vitamin D from exposure to sunlight decreases with age and it can be difficult to get enough from diet alone so supplementation, especially in the winter months, is a good idea. Food-based sources of vitamin D include oily fish, eggs and products that are fortified with vitamin D such as milk, yogurt and breakfast cereals.

Magnesium also bears a mention in relation to bone health, with its role in calcium and vitamin D regulation. Excellent sources of this key nutrient include almonds, leafy greens, bananas, avocado and fish. 

A simple way to ensure you are hitting all those nutrient targets is with a bone-friendly breakfast smoothie. Blend 200ml milk (use cows or a fortified non-dairy milk), 100g plain yogurt, a handful of leafy greens (kale or spring greens, but not spinach as it is high in oxalates which reduces calcium absorption), a small banana, a handful of frozen mixed berries and one tbsp of sesame seeds.

The power of prunes

Admittedly prunes aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, but several studies have found that their nutrient profile is particularly beneficial for bone health. Prunes are also exceptionally fibre-rich which is good news for the gut and helps support bowel function. The trick is finding tasty ways to include them in our diet. Here are a few to try:

• Stuff pitted prunes with nut butter and keep in the fridge for a quick snack
• Add a couple of prunes to a breakfast smoothie or include chopped prunes in your overnight oats
• Prunes work really well when added to spicy stews, curries and tagines
• Make some delicious prune power balls by blending 200g soft pitted prunes, two tbsp water, juice of a lime, 50g walnuts, two tbsp ground almonds, one tsp finely grated ginger and one tsp cinnamon in a food processor. Form into small balls and coat with some more ground almonds.

Think carefully about vitamin A

Vitamin A is not a nutrient commonly associated with bone health and it’s fair to say the picture is a little confusing. We do know that it plays an important role in the functioning of osteoblasts (bone building cells) which might lead you to the conclusion that a diet rich in vitamin A would be a good thing bone-wise. 

However, research published in the Journal of Endocrinology found that consuming too much vitamin A may decrease bone thickness, leading to weak and fracture-prone bones.

For most of us this won’t be an issue as the amount of vitamin A we eat would be within the safe limits, but if you eat lots of organ meats, such as liver or pâté, or you take supplements that are very high in vitamin A (fish oils for example) then you could run the risk of vitamin A toxicity. 

The NHS guidelines advise that your daily intake of vitamin A from food and supplements does not exceed 1.5 mg and if you eat liver every week not to take supplements that contain vitamin A.

A good rule of thumb when it comes to supplementation is to take an informed and targeted approach, preferably under the supervision of a dietitian.

The Midlife Method: How To Lose Weight and Feel Great After 40 by Sam Rice is published by Hachette.

This article is kept updated with the latest advice.