Skip to content

Top Navigation

Cooking Light Cooking Light
  • Recipes
  • Cooking 101
  • Eating Smart
  • Healthy Living
  • News

Profile Menu

Your Account

Account

  • Email Preferences

Manage Your Subscription

  • All Access Subscribers
  • Magazine Subscribers
  • Cooking Light Diet Subscribers
Login
Logout
SUBSCRIBE
Pin FB

Explore Cooking Light

Cooking Light Cooking Light
  • Explore

    Explore

    • 31-Day Healthy Meal Plan

      Our 31-day calendar of meals and tips shows you how to cook more and love it with fun, family-friendly meals that come together quickly and deliciously. Read More
    • Dinner Tonight: Quick and Healthy Menus in 45 Minutes (or Less)

      Hundreds of delicious recipes, paired with simple sides, that can be on your table in 45 minutes or less. Read More
    • Our Favorite Healthy Air Fryer Recipes

      Who ever said that chicken wings, doughnuts, and pizza couldn't be healthy? Read More
  • Recipes

    Recipes

    See All Recipes
    • Breakfast & Brunch
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Drinks
    • Recipe Makeovers
    • Quick & Healthy
    • Diabetic
    • Gluten-Free
    • Vegetarian
    • Cooking Light Live
  • Cooking 101

    Cooking 101

    See All Cooking 101
    • Essential Ingredients
    • Cooking Techniques
    • Meet the Chef
    • Cooking Resources
    • Budget Friendly
    • Smart Choices
  • Eating Smart
  • Healthy Living

    Healthy Living

    See All Healthy Living
    • Weight-Loss
    • Health
    • Fitness
    • Home
    • Travel
    • Nutrition 101
  • News

Profile Menu

Your Account

Account

  • Email Preferences

Manage Your Subscription

  • All Access Subscribers
  • Magazine Subscribers
  • Cooking Light Diet Subscribers
Login
Logout
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. Home
  2. Eating Smart
  3. 10 Foods for Strong Bones

10 Foods for Strong Bones

By Katherine Brooking, MS, RD September 18, 2009
Skip gallery slides
Pin
Calcium, magnesium, vitamin D, and vitamin K are essentail nutrients for healthy bones. Registered Dietitian Katherine Brooking shows you good food sources.
Start Slideshow

1 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Eating smart for bone health

You are your best ally when it comes to building and maintaining strong, healthy bones. What you eat plays an important role in determining your bone health. Specifically, consuming adequate amounts of calcium (1000 mg for adults ages 19-50) and vitamin D (200 IU for adults ages 19-50) is essential for strong bones. Magnesium and vitamin K are also important for bone health. Here are 10 tasty sources.

1 of 15

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Bone-Friendly Nutrient: Calcium

Credit: Lee Harrelson
Calcium can help to build stronger, denser bones early in life and keep bones healthy as we grow older. It is a mineral that is essential for life, yet the majority of Americans do not get adequate calcium on a daily basis.

2 of 15

3 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Calcium Source: Yogurt

Credit: Randy Mayor
Yogurt is an excellent source of calcium. Many brands contain about 40 percent of daily calcium needs based on an 8-oz. serving. (We recommend low-fat and fat-free.) Plus, yogurt is a tasty and versatile food. Have it for breakfast topped with two tablespoons of granola, as a snack on its own, or create a terrific healthy dessert of Fruit Salad with Honey-Yogurt Sauce.

3 of 15

Advertisement

4 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Calcium Source: Cheddar Cheese

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner
Just 1.5 oz. of reduced-fat cheddar cheese will meet about 30 percent of your daily recommendation for calcium. Add a slice to sandwiches, salads, or enjoy as a snack with crackers. Another delicious way to incorporate cheddar into your diet is with our Chili-Cheese Black Bean Enchiladas.

4 of 15

5 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Calcium Source: Milk

Credit: Randy Mayor
No surprise here, milk is another excellent source of calcium. An 8-oz. glass of milk contains about one-third of your daily calcium needs. (Skim or low-fat is best.) Most brands of milk are fortified with vitamin D, another nutrient essential for bone health. (More on vitamin D in a minute). If you’re not a dairy fan or are unable to tolerate lactose, look for a fortified soymilk, or try a lactose-free milk, like Lactaid. Don’t like milk by itself? Try our Vanilla Honey-Nut Smoothie, which gets a nutrient boost from soybeans, tofu, and frozen yogurt.

5 of 15

6 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Calcium Source: Tofu

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner
A great non-dairy source of calcium is tofu. Just one-half cup of firm tofu fortified with calcium has about 20 percent of the daily recommendation for calcium. (Not every tofu is made this way, so look for labels that declare it's a good source of calcium.) Tofu is also a good source of protein and a wonderful addition to any stir-fry.

6 of 15

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Key Nutrient: Vitamin D

Credit: Ian Bagwell
Vitamin D also plays a critical role in building and protecting your bones. Vitamin D promotes calcium absorption, and studies show that people with low levels of vitamin D have lower bone density or bone mass. They are also more likely to break bones as they age. Vitamin D is naturally present in very few foods, but you can get it from sunshine, and more foods are being fortified with this very important nutrient. While cod liver oil is perhaps the best natural food source of Vitamin D, there are other, better-tasting options.

7 of 15

8 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Vitamin D Source: Salmon

Credit: Randy Mayor
Salmon is one of the best natural sources of vitamin D. Just 3.5 oz. of cooked salmon supplies about 90 percent of your daily vitamin D needs. What's more, salmon is a great source of protein and heart-healthy omega-3 fats. Try to have at least one salmon dish every week. For a delicious dinner meal, try this Sizzling Salmon-and-Spinach Salad with Soy Vinaigrette.

8 of 15

9 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Vitamin D Source: Canned Tuna

Credit: Randy Mayor
If weekly fresh fish is out of your budget, an economical source of vitamin D is canned tuna. Three ounces of canned tuna contains approximately 50% of your daily vitamin D requirement. Concern has been raised about mercury levels in some fish and shellfish, such as tuna. However most experts agree that the benefits of moderate fish consumption (up to 12 oz. of low-mercury fish per week) far outweigh the risks.

9 of 15

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Vitamin D Source: Fortified Cereal

Credit: Deborah Ory
Some ready-to-eat cereals are fortified with vitamin D. Check the labels and look for products that have at least 10 percent of the daily value of this important nutrient.

10 of 15

11 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Essential Mineral: Magnesium

Credit: Randy Mayor
The mineral magnesium provides many functions within the body, and one of them is to help keep bones strong (50 percent of body magnesium is found in bone). Eating a variety of foods can help to ensure adequate magnesium intake. Women over 30 should aim for 320mg of magnesium daily, while men need 400 to 420mg. These numbers are easy to obtain from a variety of legumes, nuts, whole grains, and dark leafy vegetables (spinach and quinoa are especially good sources). Read on for a couple of our favorite magnesium-rich snacks.

11 of 15

12 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Magnesium Source: Almonds

Credit: Kim Cross
Just one ounce of almonds (a small handful--about 24) provides about 20 percent of your daily magnesium needs. Almonds make a terrific snack on their own (just remember to watch portion size; one ounce of almonds contains about 164 calories, 3.4 grams fiber, and 15 grams fat, though only 1 gram saturated fat). They're also great as a topping for cereal, yogurt, or salads.

12 of 15

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

13 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Magnesium Source: Soybeans

Credit: Randy Mayor
Soybeans are another excellent source of magnesium. About ½ cup cooked soybeans will meet approximately 20 percent of your daily magnesium needs. Edamame--plain steamed soybeans--make a great snack. You can incorporate them in to salads and stir-fries for added protein and texture. For a delicious and different twist on a classic Middle Eastern dip, try our Soybean Hummus recipe.

13 of 15

14 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Key Nutrient: Vitamin K

Credit: Randy Mayor
Vitamin K serves many functions within the body, but mounting scientific research has linked this important nutrient with bone health. Recent studies indicate that vitamin K may help prevent bone resorption and adequate dietary intake is likely necessary to prevent bone loss. Vitamin K needs can be met by consuming a diet rich in leafy greens.

14 of 15

15 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Vitamin K Source: Leafy Greens

Leafy greens such as kale, spinach, Swiss chard and collard greens are very high in Vitamin K. Just 1/2 cup of these greens, cooked, can contain more than 500% of the recommended daily amount of vitamin K.

Important health note: Misuse of vitamin K in supplement form can produce toxicity, and if you are taking the blood thinning drug Coumidin or any other anticoagulant drugs please check with your doctor before increasing or decreasing your vitamin K intake. When obtained from food sources, 500% of the DV may sound like a lot, but vitamin K consumed through food rarely produces toxicity.

About the author:  Cooking Light contributor Katherine Brooking is a registered dietitian with a master’s degree in nutrition education from Columbia University.

15 of 15

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By Katherine Brooking, MS, RD

    Share the Gallery

    Pinterest Facebook
    Advertisement
    Skip slide summaries

    Everything in This Slideshow

    Advertisement

    View All

    1 of 15 Eating smart for bone health
    2 of 15 Bone-Friendly Nutrient: Calcium
    3 of 15 Calcium Source: Yogurt
    4 of 15 Calcium Source: Cheddar Cheese
    5 of 15 Calcium Source: Milk
    6 of 15 Calcium Source: Tofu
    7 of 15 Key Nutrient: Vitamin D
    8 of 15 Vitamin D Source: Salmon
    9 of 15 Vitamin D Source: Canned Tuna
    10 of 15 Vitamin D Source: Fortified Cereal
    11 of 15 Essential Mineral: Magnesium
    12 of 15 Magnesium Source: Almonds
    13 of 15 Magnesium Source: Soybeans
    14 of 15 Key Nutrient: Vitamin K
    15 of 15 Vitamin K Source: Leafy Greens

    Share & More

    Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message
    Cooking Light

    Magazines & More

    Learn More

    • Customer Service this link opens in a new tab
    • Advertise
    • Content Licensing
    • Accolades this link opens in a new tab

    Connect

    MeredithCooking Light is part of the Allrecipes Food Group. © Copyright 2023 Meredith Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Cooking Light may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
    © Copyright Cooking Light. All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.cookinglight.com

    View image

    10 Foods for Strong Bones
    this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.