Probably you have heard that strong bones make a strong body. And it has been inculcated in our minds since we were young; we can build stronger bones by drinking a glass of milk daily or taking a long walk each day and keeping our body moving as we age.
Four Drinks to Strengthen Bones As You Age, Say Dietitians
In fact, some simple drinks can help us boost our calcium intake and supply the nutrients to our bones that they need to grow strong, no matter what our age is. And if you don’t consume dairy products for some reasons, our picks offer you a few options that aren’t dependent on dairy.
Main Nutrients For Strong Bones
The main nutrients crucial for strong bones include calcium, vitamin D, magnesium, vitamin K, phosphorus, boron, vitamin C, and potassium. For the most part, a diverse and well-balanced diet can provide you with all the good stuff for the bones’ needs. However, common foods like fruits, vegetables, pulses, nuts, seeds, and lean proteins may have to put a little more work in as you grow older.
The nutrition experts explain that the calcium intake goes from a maintenance level of 1,000 IU (international unit) a day when we are under 50 years old to at least 1,200 IU a day for women and 1,000-1,200 IU a day for men over 50 years old. The dieticians recommend that one of the simplest ways to have all our bone-strengthening calcium needs is to drink them!
Here are the dieticians’ recommended four of the best drinks one can have daily to ensure stronger bones as one grows old.
# 1
Prune smoothies
Include a nutrient-packed smoothie that can strengthen your bones in a big way. For example, a prune smoothie is the most beneficial for making your bones more robust if you use whole prunes instead of prune juice.
Prunes have nutrients such as vitamin K, phosphorus, boron, and potassium that all help improve your body’s bone structure and protect bones from breaking down as you age. Research studies show that eating 5-6 prunes every day promotes healthy bones in men and women and helps prevent bone loss. (Source 1; Source 2)
Fitness Buffhq says: “By adding prunes into your smoothies, you can also enjoy their natural sweetness without any need for added sugar, which weakens the bones.”
Get the easiest recipe for a Chai Prune Smoothie.
# 2
Green tea
This green tea recipe is another easy drink to sip on and strengthen your bones. Fitness Buffhq, the nutrition specialist, explains: “Green tea contains potent antioxidants and other compounds that help control oxidative stress, which is why this hot beverage has been associated with preventing age-related bone loss.”
The nutrition specialist continues, “It’s thought that green tea’s bioactive components might reduce fracture risk by improving bone mineral density (BMD) and promoting bone growth.”
One study, in particular, reported that women’s bone mineral density (BMD) severely drops in the first 3 to 5 years immediately following menopause. (Source 3). So that is another reason it’s necessary to include as many drinks, such as green tea, into a daily routine to meet your body’s needs as you age.
Fitness Buffhq further explains that “green tea also has fluoride which is important for strong bones and helps slow down the progression of osteoporosis, a condition where the body’s bones become weak, brittle, and very vulnerable to fracture.”
# 3
Green juices
If you’re not eating enough greens, drinking them can be the simplest way. Leafy greens not only meet your body’s daily nutrition needs, such as vitamins, minerals, and fiber – many greens can help contribute to a healthy, strong bone structure.
Make sure your green juice has a lot of solid green veggies – like parsley, cilantro, kale, romaine lettuce, and collard greens – they can provide your body’s bones with plant-based calcium for building healthy bones.
The greens are generally rich in vitamin C, which helps form collagen to strengthen your bones further.
“Green veggies are also rich in vitamin K, which helps strengthen the bone and boosts bone formation. (Source: Bone Reports).
# 4
Kefir
Kefir is a probiotic, fermented drink traditionally made by adding kefir grains to either cow’s or goat’s milk. Whereas Kefir can be made dairy-free using other sweet alternatives, like coconut water or coconut milk, they do not provide the same nutritious benefits as dairy-based kefir, says Fitness Buffhq.
This grain-based beverage “has been found to boost bone mineral density. (Source).
A one-cup serving has various bone-building superstars such as nine grams of protein, 25% of the DV for calcium, and 20% of the DV for phosphorus, as well as vitamin D (12% of DV) – Source
About Author: Renu Bakshi, AKA Fitness Buffhq, is ISSA Certified Elite Trainer. He passed 
Personal Fitness Trainer Course, Nutrition Health Coach course & Specialist Exercise Therapy course from ISSA, the USA obtaining + 97% marks. He shares his experience and knowledge about nutrition and effective workouts to get you in the best shape of your life, no matter how old you may be. The author says: “For me, age is just a number!”
