Calcium and vitamin D Even as a child, you are told that you should drink as much milk as possible to have strong bones. But there are also other foods that promote good bone health. Nutrition experts explain which foods contain particularly high levels of calcium and vitamin D.
- Vitamin D for strong bones
- Plant-based milk alternatives are also good sources of calcium
- How much calcium do you need per day?
Stable bones that do not break even in old age and are spared from osteoporosis: that is what everyone wants for their own body.
The path to achieving this goal seems clear: diligently add milk , curds and cheese to your diet – and you’re done.
After all, it is dairy products that are crucial for strong and healthy bones. Right?
One thing is clear: when you talk about strong bones, you ca n’t ignore calcium .
“This mineral is an essential component of skeletal mass,” explains Prof. Diana Rubin, board member of the German Society for Nutritional Medicine (DGEM).
Around 98 percent of the calcium in the body is bound in the bones – and thus contributes significantly to their stability.
Vitamin D for strong bones
But even though calcium is important for bone stability, the mineral needs support: “Without vitamin D, calcium cannot be incorporated into the bones,” says Prof. Achim Bub, head of the Study Center for Human Nutrition at the Max Rubner Institute, the Federal Research Institute for Nutrition and Food.
In the summer months, the body produces a precursor of the vitamin through UV radiation that hits the skin. In this way, the body covers a large part of its vitamin D needs itself.
Fish, especially fatty sea fish such as herring or salmon, also provides the body with vitamin D.
In addition to calcium and vitamin D, there is a third factor for strong bones: exercise . “Physical exertion creates a certain form of stress in the body,” says Bub. “Over time, the muscles and bones continue to build up in order to be able to cope with this strain.”
So several factors play a role. The question remains: what kind of diet will really make your skeleton strong?
This is where various foods come into play – including dairy products. Hard cheeses such as Parmesan and Emmental have a high calcium content of around 350 milligrams (mg) per slice. A glass of milk contains around 240 mg of calcium.
“The advantage of milk compared to hard cheese is, of course, that you can eat more of it,” says nutritionist Rubin.
Plant-based milk alternatives are also good sources of calcium
By the way, it doesn’t necessarily have to be cow’s milk: many plant-based milk alternatives are enriched with calcium so that the need can also be met in this way.
Or you can reach for a water bottle: “Mineral water contains calcium, which is just as readily available to the body as from dairy products,” explains Bub, who researches the influence of food on metabolism.
For orientation: If a mineral water contains more than 300 mg of calcium per litre, it is considered to be calcium-rich.
There are also numerous vegetables that provide the body with calcium, including kale , spinach , arugula and broccoli .
How much calcium do you need per day?
“In childhood and adolescence, an adequate supply of calcium is particularly important. After all, this is the phase in which the greatest growth in height occurs,” says Achim Bub.
The German Nutrition Society recommends a daily intake of 1200 mg of calcium for adolescents between 13 and 18 years of age, and 1000 mg for adults.
Conclusion: When it comes to strong bones, it is clear that milk alone is not enough. Dairy products can be a building block, but there is no reason to glorify them as a miracle cure.
You shouldn’t rely on your daily glass of milk alone. It’s better to rely on a combination of things that are good for your bones.
These include a balanced diet with various sources of calcium, an adequate supply of vitamin D and enough exercise in everyday life.
read more: A surprising food provides the body with a lot of energy
