As we age, our bones naturally weaken. However, sometimes, not only nature but also our eating habits are to blame for this. There are foods that are good for bone health, but also those that are harmful to them, and this article will discuss these foods.
9 Foods that can make your bones weak
1. Foods with a high sodium content
Salt helps to remove calcium from the bone matrix. This trace element is in canned soups, bottled sauces, deli meats, hamburgers, French fries, and chips. Need another reason to eat them less often? A study conducted in China showed that men who eat many salty foods are more likely to develop osteoporosis than those who try to avoid excess sodium. You can learn about the signs of too much salt in your diet here.
2. Alcohol
Alcohol consumption can have adverse effects on bone health, as it interferes with the absorption of calcium and vitamin D. In addition, chronic alcohol abuse often leads to hormonal imbalance, which disrupts the formation and degradation of bone tissue. Visit. A F R I N I K . C O M .For the full article. It is essential to exclude alcoholic beverages from the diet for people who have osteoporosis and other diseases affecting bones and joints. Still, those who are healthy should not get carried away with them either.
3. Products with added sugar
Consuming too much sugar can eliminate calcium, magnesium, and potassium from the body, which makes bones weak and causes complex harm to health. Sugar can also interfere with the absorption of calcium and vitamin D. So it’s time to think about how many snacks with added sugar are present in your daily diet and look for an alternative to them: eat prunes more often, for example, or fruits. In addition, you need to check how usually you consume foods such as canned fruits in syrup, granola bars, and cereal. They may also contain a lot of added sugar. Of course, it may not be easy to give up sugar completely. But if you want to minimize the consumption of foods rich in it, find out what benefits it will bring to bones and the whole body.
4. Caffeine
You can hardly expect big problems from one cup of coffee. But if you don’t control how much caffeine you get daily, it’s easy to damage your bones. For every hundred milligrams of caffeine consumed, about six milligrams of calcium are eliminated from the body. If you over-consume drinks rich in this substance, especially with foods full of sugar, over time, you may encounter the fact that bones have become less dense and brittle.
5. Sweet soda
Soda with different flavors is harmful because it contains a lot of sugar and an excess of phosphoric acid, leading to calcium excretion from the body. As a result, bone mineral density decreases, increasing the risk of fractures.
6. Oxalate-rich foods
Oxalates are mainly found in dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach and rhubarb, as well as in tea. Even with all their health benefits, you need to limit their use. Why? Oxalates can interfere with calcium absorption, making it inaccessible to the body. However, you should not immediately give up your favorite salads with spinach and other leafy greens if you do not have osteoporosis and other bone diseases — you need to combine them with other calcium-rich foods, such as cheese and fish. This will help maximize the nutritional benefits of leafy greens and increase your body’s calcium intake.
7. Wheat bran
Wheat bran contains a large amount of phytates, plant compounds that can interfere with the absorption of calcium. This does not mean that they are harmful to you. You shouldn’t consume them regularly. In addition, soaking and boiling wheat bran can help reduce their phytate content.
8. Liver and fish oil
Both liver and fish oil are beneficial for many body systems. They contain vitamin A, vital for normal vision, immunity, and the reproductive system. However, you must carefully control how much of these products you consume. The fact is that excess vitamin A can negatively affect bone health by reducing bone mineral density, which increases the risk of fractures. You also need to think carefully about your diet if you take supplements to avoid excess vitamin A.
9. There are too many protein-containing foods
Protein is essential for metabolism, cell and tissue formation, and strong muscles. However, not only is its deficiency harmful to the body, but also an excess. Be careful with protein-rich diets often found in some weight loss or muscle-building plans. Stick to a more reasonable plan that will help close the norm of this substance in the body without overdoing it. Otherwise, your bones will become weaker, as they will lose a lot of calcium. If you are unsure about your diet, consult a nutritionist to stay healthy and reduce the risk of osteoporosis.