Osteoporosis Diet & Nutrition: 5 Bone-Weakening Foods to Avoid
If you have Osteoporosis or Osteopenia — or if it runs in your family — you probably already know all about the bone-strengthening benefits of fatty fish, dairy, calcium, vitamin D, and protein. But even if you are eating a calcium-rich diet, certain foods can actually damage your bone density and lead to weaker bones.
Be careful not to counteract all the good nutrition and osteogenic loading exercises you’ve been doing to maintain strong bones — avoid these five foods that studies show damage bone health.
1. Salt causes bone deterioration
Let’s say you’ve just cooked up a salmon steak with avocado, cheese, and spinach salad on the side. All that calcium, protein, and vitamin D, and fatty fish are great for your bones — until you sprinkle the salt!
The high “salt content of the typical American diet is one of the reasons why calcium requirements are so high,” explains Dr. Linda K. Massey.
Studies have shown that table salt causes bone deterioration by causing our bodies to lose calcium. Americans, in particular, often consume more than double the recommended amount of sodium per day.
“Generally speaking, for every 2,300 milligrams of sodium you take in, about 40 milligrams of calcium is lost in the urine,” Massey says. Unfortunately, salt intake is difficult to curb, even if you don’t sprinkle extra salt on your food. Processed food is the main culprit for our country’s high salt intake. Switching to whole, unprocessed foods is the best way to prevent losing calcium and, thereby, losing bone.
So is your daily calcium supplement actually helping your bones, or is it all going towards combatting your sodium intake?
2. Soda causes calcium loss
Soda is unhealthy for many reasons — excessive sugar, high caffeine, teeth-rotting sweeteners. It’s especially bad for bones due to its high phosphoric acid content.
Soda, and especially cola-based soda, has been shown to decrease bone mineral density. Their phosphoric acid causes calcium to be lost through urine.
Furthermore, when a patient drinks soda, the sugary drink often replaces other, healthier beverages that could benefit bone health. It’s a double-whammy: Not only does soda leach calcium from bones, it also replaces a tall glass of milk or orange juice which could have helped promote calcium absorption.
For patients who struggle to give up soda completely, WebMD recommends adding whole milk to recipes, such as pancakes or bread, instead of water. Try switching out at least one soda per day with a tall glass of fortified milk.
3. Coffee & caffeine sap bone strength
Like salt and soda, caffeine is another substance that many people already recognize as slightly less-than-healthy. In moderate amounts, of course, these substances are fine to consume. Of course, check with your doctor to see which diet changes are best for your unique physiology.
Some studies indicate that caffeine can impact calcium absorption. While most doctors agree 400mg or less a day is probably fine, for patients at risk for osteoporosis, it’s safer to limit caffeine so your bones can get the most benefit from your calcium intake.
“Roughly 6 milligrams of calcium are lost for every 100 milligrams of caffeine you ingest,” shares Dina Khader, RD, CDN.
Oddly, black tea and green tea do not seem to negatively impact calcium absorption, while coffee and cola do. Doctors are still researching why certain caffeinated beverages seem more damaging than others.
4. Leafy greens high in oxalates may prevent calcium absorption
While in general leafy greens like collards, kale, and spinach are part of a healthy diet, certain greens can hamper your body’s ability to absorb calcium.
Collards, kale, turnip greens, bok choy, and Chinese cabbage have high amounts of calcium and vitamin K, which are critical for strong bones. Spinach and Swiss chard, while high in calcium, are also high in oxalates, which can bind up calcium and make it unavailable to the body.
This doesn’t mean patients with osteoporosis can’t eat spinach or chard, but rather that these greens should not be relied on as a source of calcium. Just one cup of cooked turnip greens has 20% of your daily recommended calcium.
5. Nightshades can cause bone inflammation and pain
“Nightshade vegetables, such as tomatoes, mushrooms, peppers, white potatoes, and eggplant, can cause bone inflammation, which can lead to osteoporosis,” explains one study.
Another study, however, concluded that while nightshades can cause inflammation, pain, and even digestive issues in some pre-disposed patients, they also provide vitamins and minerals that are part of a healthy, balanced diet.
Researchers have debated the risks of nightshades, which are highly acidic, but offer powerful antioxidants. The current consensus is that nightshades, like gluten, can be problematic — but only for people who already have sensitivity.
For that matter, there are many foods with anti-inflammatory properties that can ease inflammation, aches, and pains. It is worth checking whether or not nightshades are right for your individual body chemistry. Your diet plays a large role in overall bone health and body health, so work with a doctor and test which foods make you feel your best!
Diverse Calcium Sources and Weight Bearing Exercises
Milk in your coffee may be blocked by the caffeine, just as calcium in spinach may be blocked by oxalates. Plus, an absence of vitamins C, K, or D can prevent proper calcium absorption. The lesson is this: Make sure you get your calcium from a variety of sources, and eat a diet rich in all the vitamins and minerals that are important for bone health.
While diet plays a role in the health of your bones, exercise is also a critical component. Research shows that weight-bearing exercises and osteogenic loading are two of the best ways to build bone density. We often think of exercising our muscles, but when osteoporosis is a risk, we also need to consider exercising our bones.
According to research on Better Bones, Osteogenic Loading has been called the “key to reversing osteoporosis.” One 10-minute session at OsteoStrong every week or two can prevent osteopenia, and even begin to reverse osteoporosis by rebuilding bone density and strength.
OsteoStrong is offering a free session, specially created to focus on strengthening bones without tiring or straining muscles, to allow people to see the impact themselves. After the first free session, visitors can even enjoy a complimentary hydro-massage.
Take control of your bone health, by avoiding calcium-leaching foods and adding weight-bearing exercises to your daily life.
