The Food

You don’t have to redo your entire kitchen — pantry, refrigerator, cabinets, and all — to start eating to support bone health. Here are some easy-to-remember guidelines to get started:

It’s not only about dairy! Milk and cheese: Most of us put them right at the top of the calcium-rich food list, but they’re way up there on the acid chart too. You don’t have to cut them out completely, but let them play a supporting role. Get calcium-rich foods with an alkaline profile — collard greens, kale, broccoli rabe, pepitas, chickpeas, and quinoa, to name a few — to do most of the heavy lifting.

Ace your protein portions. Fish, eggs, and meat are all great sources of protein, and we do need protein for strong muscles and bones, but they’re also very acidic. To find the right balance, be mindful of your portion sizes. Aim for a serving about the size of a deck of playing cards. Surround your plate with lots of fresh vegetables and you can’t go wrong. 

Trim the sugar. Refined sugar is just plain bad for your bones. I know no one wants to hear this, but it’s true! Sugar invigorates osteoclast activity, and zaps the strength of vitamin D, potassium, and magnesium. That’s why osteoBLAST offers flavorful desserts that are sure to satisfy your cravings while cutting down on processed sugars. You’ll meet pecan pie’s rich and sophisticated cousin with the Mixed-Nut Tart in the Comfort Food Dinner menu. For more sweet treats, we’re working on recipes that get the job done with far less sugar, and recipes that pair dessert cheeses with alkaline, mineral-packed dried fruits. And I promise, you’ll never have to give up chocolate. Just have a look at the brownie recipe in the Why I Love Black Beans post for an unusual, but delicious bone blasting chocolate dessert. Let me know what ingredients you’d like to explore, or how we can rethink a favorite recipe of yours by giving it a nod to building stronger bones. I’d love to hear from you! So, let’s get cooking!