Alas, as I sit in a sterile cast room dangling my mangled foot over the examination table and watching a tech wrapping my limb like an ancient Egyptian mummy, I think of how I could have nurtured my bones better over the years with optimum foods.
Our skeletons — which are live organs — need to be nourished to bulk up mass for greater density to prevent (or lessen the risk of) fractures and ward off osteoporosis. While some foods are bones’ best friends, others are their foes, leaching away calcium and making them brittle and fragile.
Though calcium gets all the kudos for building strong bones, foods with rich stores of vitamins D, C and K, magnesium, potassium, copper, zinc and boron are indispensable for dialing up bone mass and calcium absorption.
Here’s a list of foods from land and sea to embrace and avoid (or eat in moderation) to help you steer clear of orthopedic surgeons and cast rooms in the new year.
Cream of the crop
As kids growing up, dairy products from cows (especially milk) were the prescribed kings of calcium for building strong bones and teeth. Today, health practitioners recommend diversifying your dairy with assorted cheeses, especially the hard ones such as cheddar, Parmesan and Swiss, which pack the most calcium punch, over fresh, soft ones like cottage, ricotta and mascarpone.
Add lip-puckering yogurts and kefir drinks to the mix — both calcium and probiotic powerhouses that not only amp up bone but also gut and immune health.
If you don’t do moo milk, switch to goat dairy of all manner — much more digestible and indulgent than cow products — or enjoy the many plant-based options with levels of calcium comparable to animal dairy.
Jolly green giants
Dark leafy greens — from kale, collards and cabbage to arugula, bok choy and broccoli — with their mother lode of nutrients, particularly calcium, outrank spinach, Swiss chard and endive.
The latter tricky trio is packed with calcium, along with vitamin K and magnesium, but also contains high levels of notorious oxalates that attach to calcium (and other trace minerals) and actually drag them out of the body, impairing absorption and possibly even leading to deficiencies over time.
Though Popeye acquired his strength from spinach, his bones weren’t as fortified as if he had chowed down on lower oxalate-containing leafy greens.
So kick off the day with an invigorating kale and banana smoothie and finish it with a one-pot wonder of garlicky wild-caught shrimp and baby bok choy.
A fine kettle of fish
Oily fish is a treasure trove of bone and t nutrients, especially omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, vitamin D and phosphorous. Wild-caught canned salmon has an added oomph of calcium, with soft, edible bones that can be mashed with the fish along with choice herbs and spices.
Good things also come in small packages, like sardines packed in olive oil (and calcium-rich bones as well) that can be dressed up and tossed with linguini, fresh fennel and tangerine zest, or dressed down on a toasted baguette.
Lemon law
Take a page from Linus Pauling’s book and indulge in vitamin C-rich foods to amp up production of collagen, the fibrous protein that acts like nature’s rebar, giving structural to bone tissue along with skin, muscles, tendons and ligaments.
The A list of C foods includes tropical fruits (pineapples, mangoes, guavas, papayas and persimmons); Australian imports (golden kiwis and Kakadu plums); citrus in all shapes and forms (blood oranges, mandarins, Meyer lemons and limes); cantaloupes and honeydew melons; and strawberries, cherries, lychees and black currants.
For savory palates, try red and orange peppers, tomatoes and crucifers, especially Brussels sprouts and broccoli, to fill the vitamin C bill.
Nuts and bolts
Though many nuts and seeds have an abundance of calcium and other nutrients to crank up collagen production and bone density, they also contain substances called phytates that leach minerals from the body.
Pistachios, chestnuts and macadamias have the lowest levels of phytates, while almonds, walnuts and sesame and pumpkin seeds have high levels.
To reduce the phytic acid levels and temper mineral loss, soak the nuts and seeds overnight in a solution of water and splash of lemon juice or vinegar, then strain.
Fig out
Grab this fresh, calcium-rich California gem when they’re good and plenty during summer and fall or buy dried figs throughout the year.
Enliven charcuterie boards, toss in quick breads, scones, salads and sassy Mediterranean chicken dishes, or pop them whole as a handy snack.
Caveat: Figs contain moderate oxalates, but they’re still bone-enhancing delights.
Get crackin’
Eggs are one of the few foods naturally endowed with a goodly store of vitamin D — in the yolks only. So scrap the egg-white omelets this time around and have a yolk for enhanced calcium absorption.
Other gustatory heroes deserving honorable mentions include those with a bounty of bone-boosting boron, such as avocados, prunes, peaches, apples and pears, while the mighty garlic — loaded with the sulfuric compound allicin — ratchets up calcium absorption.
Just as important as food is regular exercise. In addition, consult a holistic health practitioner about bone-protective supplements.
Bad to the bone
Sorry to burst your bubbles, but salty foods, red meat, nightshades, grains high in phytates, caffeine, carbonated sodas and booze have been linked to assorted mechanisms compromising bone health. Standing advice — moderation.
Recipe
My final contribution is this mouth-watering, warm arugula and citrus salad that’s sure to tickle (and fortify) your funny bone.
Ingredients:
• 1 bunch baby arugula
• 1 tablespoon shallots, minced
• ¼ cup olive or avocado oil
• 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Meyer lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon orange blossom honey
• 1 teaspoon tarragon leaves, chopped
• Sea salt and cracked black pepper, to taste
• 2 tangerines, sliced
Instructions:
• Place arugula in salad bowl.
• In saucepan on low heat, sauté shallots in oil, juice and vinegar until tender. Blend in honey, tarragon and seasonings.
• Pour over arugula and toss.
• Garnish with tangerine slices. ◆
