Nutritional food for strong bones

Eating right for bone health basically comes down to two nutrients: Calcium and Vitamin D. Calcium, a mineral that’s essential to proper body function is stored in your bones. The body needs Vitamin D to absorb calcium. Not getting enough Calcium in your diet can lead to fragile, brittle bones that are more prone to fractures and diseases. Here are some meals that are rich in Calcium:

Milk: One cup of milk has about 30 percent of the calcium you need daily. On top of that, the milk that’s sold in stores is typically fortified with vitamin D, making it a double-whammy when it comes to bone health.

Dark, Leafy Greens: Dark, leafy greens, are perhaps the best non-dairy source of calcium. Although spinach is usually included in this group, it contains oxalic acid, which makes the human body unable to absorb its calcium.

Salmon: Vitamin D is rarely found in nature. However, fatty fish such as salmon are probably the best source. One serving of salmon will provide you all the time vitamin D you need in the day. Canned salmon includes the softer (edible) bones of the fish, meaning it’s loaded with calcium.

Catfish: While we’re on fish, you can’t go wrong with catfish. It’s perhaps the least expensive variety of fish, and also one of the highest in vitamin D.

Almond Butter: Of all the tree nuts you can find at the grocery store, almonds have the highest amount of calcium per serving. You can get the same calcium benefits in butter form. As a bonus, almond butter has no cholesterol and is lower in fat and higher in protein than peanut butter.

Cheese: Cheese is made from milk. Milk has lot of calcium. Therefore, cheese has lots of calcium. For a healthy option, try cheese made from skim milk.

Eggs: Eggs contain a nice amount of vitamin D and can improve bone health. Vitamin D is found in the yolks only, so if you tend to eat egg white omelets, you’ll have to get your vitamin D elsewhere.

Sardines: These tiny fish often found in cans have surprisingly high level of both vitamin D and calcium. Though they may look a bit odd, they have a savory taste that can be delicious in pastas and salads.

Fortified Cereal: Certain cereal like walnuts and Wheaties contain up to 25 percent of your daily vitamin D. When you don’t have time to cook salmon or get out in the sun, cereal can be a tasty way to get your vitamin D.

Orange Juice: A glass of fresh-squeezed orange juice doesn’t have calcium or vitamin D, but it’s often fortified to contain these nutrients. Also, studies have shown that the ascorbic acid in orange juice may help with calcium absorption.

Calcium is essential in building strong teeth and bones, get your daily dose with these friendly meals that pack plenty of calcium.