9 Unexpected Foods That Are Bad For Healthy Bones

Have you had some issues with your bones? 

I do. 
And I guess each and everyone of us would love to have healthy bones.

Let's build healthy, strong bones!
picture: Pixabay

Building healthy, strong bones needs two key nutrients, which are vitamin D and calcium. While calcium supports the teeth and bone structure, vitamin D helps improve the absorption of calcium and bone growth. Most of us know about what to eat for healthy, strong bones – anything that is full of calcium and vitamin D. However, just as important, but less regularly discussed, are foods and beverages that weaken your bones. This article will show you 9 unexpected foods that are bad for healthy bones.

1. Coffee

Similar to soda, coffee could reduce the ability of your body to absorb calcium, thereby hurting your bone health. Therefore, you had better reduce your intake of coffee to less than 3 cups per day. In the morning, instead of having several shots of espresso, you can reach for an apple as an alternative. Apples can provide you with more energy than a cup of coffee thanks to its high content of simple carbs.

picture: pixabay

2. Sodium-Rich Foods

Before reaching for the bag of potato chips, think again. It is said that sodium-rich foods may cause our bodies to lose calcium and result in bone less. The more salty you consume, the more calcium you lose. In essence, salt causes excessive calcium excretion via kidneys. Nutrition experts recommended taking under 2,300mg of salt per day and you will be fine. This intake amount should be reduced further if you have other health conditions like high blood pressure.

3. Iron-Rich Foods

Iron is beneficial for our health, we all know that. Nonetheless, the time you take it matters. Most foods that are bad for healthy bones are a direct result of interfering with the absorption of calcium, thereby causing bone loss. If you are eating calcium-rich foods, you had better avoid iron-rich ones to maximize the amount of calcium absorbed.

4. Soy Products

Soy products are also in the list of foods that are bad for healthy bones because they may interfere with calcium absorption. Actually, soy products like tofu, tempeh, edamame and soy beverages are rich in the bone-building protein, but they also have plant compounds which may hamper the absorption of calcium.

5. Alcohol

Is drinking alcohol bad for your bones? 

The answer is yes. 

When drinking alcohol, it acts like a calcium-blocker, which prevents the important bone-building minerals from being absorbed into your body through the foods you eat.

Heavy drinking also disrupts the process of bone remodeling by preventing the bone-building cells (osteoblasts) from doing their job. As a result, your bone will become weaker and your healing is also interfered.

Instead of drinking alcohol, you can choose beverages that are lower in alcohol. They may taste as good as alcohol, but are not hard on your bones.

6. Sugary Snacks

Do not go overboard on sugar, especially if you have a sweet tooth. Despite there is no proven link between sugary snacks and their negative impacts on bones, the harm to bone health might be resulted from consuming too much added sugar while not getting enough essential nutrient-rich foods. If you want to indulge your sweet tooth, choose cranberries, prunes and other antioxidant-rich fruits. Antioxidants are healthy nutrients for bone health.

7. Hydrogenated Oils

Hydrogenation process that turns liquid vegetable oil into the solid oils used in baking, damages vitamin K found naturally in oils. Vitamin K is necessary for strong, healthy bones, and vegetable oils like olive oil and canola oil are the 2^nd best source (dietary) of such key nutrient.

Instead of eating pastries and bread bought from bakeries or baking your bake goods (because they contain hydrogenated fats, you ought to eat more dark green leafy veggies like spinach, collard, Swiss chard, etc. They are rich sources of vitamin K, an important bone-boosting nutrient.

8. Vitamin A-Rich Foods

Vitamin A-rich foods include eggs, liver, dairy products, and vitamin-fortified foods. They are rich sources of animal-derived vitamin A, also known as retinol. Despite vitamin A can improve eye health, clear acne, amp up your immune system, taking too much of it may weaken your bones. For example, if you take more than 3 ounces of beef liver, you may stimulate bone breakdown or osteoclast activity. To control your risk of over intake of vitamin A through foods, you should switch to non-fat or low-fat dairy product and consume egg whites instead of whole eggs.

9. High- Protein Foods

Taking too much protein, particularly animal protein, may take the bone-building nutrient – calcium – from your bones, causing weakened and brittle bones and a higher risk of pain and injury.

In fact, diets that are high in protein may interfere with calcium absorption. For example, if you eat red meat excessively, you may hurt your bones.

Conclusion

Knowing what to eat and what not to eat for healthy, strong bones are important because it helps protect your bones in the old age. It also enhances your life quality and boasts your longevity, and reduces the risk of falls, injury, osteoporosis, arthritis, brittle bones and joints. Avoidance of the foods that are bad for healthy bones above will help improve your bone health.

Stay healthy, everyone!

About the author:

John Hughes is a Health and Beauty expert who has more than 5 years of experience in Health Care industry. For more health care tips on healthy living, visit him at the website TrueRemedies.com. There, you will find posts on natural treatments, recipes, healthy foods, and so much more.