Human bones are made up of several components that work together to give them strength and flexibility. Here are the main parts:
- Collagen: This is a protein that makes up about 30% of the bone’s mass. It provides flexibility and helps bones resist breaking under stress. Collagen fibres form a soft, flexible framework.
- Minerals (mainly Calcium): Calcium makes up the majority of the bone’s mass. It hardens and strengthens the bone, giving it rigidity and structure. This mineral works synergistically with Vitamins D & K and this triage of minerals are important to ensure the calcium is absorbed and sent to the right place in the body – the bones and teeth and not within soft tissue.
- Water: Bone tissue contains a small amount of water, which helps the cells and minerals in the bone to remain flexible and functional.
- Bone Cells: These include:
- Osteoblasts: Cells that create new bone tissue.
- Osteocytes: Mature bone cells that maintain the bone matrix.
- Osteoclasts: Cells that break down bone tissue, allowing for remodelling and growth.
These elements combine to make bones both sturdy and resilient, allowing them to support the body, protect organs, and enable movement.
HOW CAN WE GET COLLAGEN IN OUR DIETS
Collagen can be obtained in the diet through both animal-based and plant-based sources. Here are some ways to boost your collagen intake:
Animal-Based Sources
- Bone Broth: Made by simmering animal bones (chicken, beef, fish, etc.) for long periods, bone broth is rich in collagen, gelatine, and amino acids, which support collagen production.
- Chicken Skin: Chicken skin contains a good amount of collagen, especially in the connective tissues.
- Fish and Shellfish: Fish, particularly those with skin and bones (like salmon or sardines), and shellfish like shrimp, have collagen in their connective tissues and scales.
- Egg Whites: Egg whites are rich in proline, an amino acid important for collagen production, though they don’t contain collagen directly.
- Beef: Beef, especially cuts like tendons, ligaments, and skin, provides collagen.
Plant-Based Sources
While plant-based foods don’t contain collagen directly, they provide the nutrients that help your body produce it:
- Vitamin C-Rich Foods: Vitamin C is essential for collagen synthesis. Foods like citrus fruits (oranges, lemons), strawberries, bell peppers, broccoli, and kale are high in vitamin C.
- Amino Acid-Rich Foods: Certain plant-based foods contain amino acids (like proline and glycine) that support collagen production. These include soy products (tofu, tempeh), beans, lentils, seeds (pumpkin, sunflower), and nuts.
- Leafy Greens and Vegetables: Spinach, kale, and other dark leafy greens are rich in antioxidants and nutrients that support collagen production.
- Garlic: Garlic contains sulphur, which is needed to synthesize collagen.
Collagen Supplements
You can also consider collagen supplements, which typically come in powder, capsule, or liquid form. These are usually derived from animal sources, like bovine or fish collagen, and are a direct way to increase collagen levels in your body.
To maximise collagen production, a diet with a mix of these sources, along with a healthy lifestyle that includes staying hydrated, protecting your skin from the sun, and avoiding smoking, will help your body produce and maintain collagen naturally.
WHAT MINERALS ARE NEEDED FOR BONE HEALTH AND HOW CAN WE GET THEM FROM DIET
Several minerals are crucial for bone health as they contribute to bone strength, density, and overall structure. Here are the key minerals, along with dietary sources for each:
Calcium
Adults over 19 are recommended to have 700mg of calcium daily (and women who are breastfeeding need an extra 550mg a day). According to the British Dietetic Association, this increases to 1200mg for post-menopausal females and males over 55, as bone density loss starts to increase.
Calcium can be stored by the body, so it is not essential to consume the recommended amount every day, although it is important to average the daily nutrient intake over time.
Calcium is the most important mineral for bone health, as it makes up the majority of the bone’s mineral content.
Sources:
- Dairy: Milk, yoghurt, and cheese are excellent sources.
- Leafy Greens: Kale, Bok choy, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, parsley and rocket.
- Fortified Foods: Some plant-based milks (almond, soy, oat), juices, and cereals are fortified with calcium.
- Tofu: Tofu set with calcium.
- Fish: Sardines and salmon (especially with bones).
We are advised by health professionals to get 700mg of calcium per day but this increases to 1200mg per day when we reach menopause age. But what does 1200mg of calcium from foods look like in real life? Below is a list of foods I concentrate on and the amount to try and reach 1200mg of calcium per day;
- Bio-live yoghurt or Kefir – 120 mls of kefir = 111mg calcium
- Variety of cheeses – a 3cm cube of parmesan = 245mg calcium
- Sardines = tin of 135g = 350mg calcium
- Salmon = 150g = 340mg calcium
- Leafy greens – all (excluding delicate herbs such as parsley, watercress and rocket) blanched and drained to reduce oxalates)
- Kale – 1 cup = 90mg
- Parsley 1 cup = 82mg
- Bok choy 1 cup = 73mg
- Spinach 1 cup = 29mg
- Broccoli 1 cup = 42mg
- Watercress = 40mg
- Brussels sprouts = 37mg
- Rocket = 32mg
- Chia seeds 2 TBSP = 179mg calcium
- Almonds = 100g = 264mg calcium
- Poppy Seeds 2 TBSP = 350mg
- Flax Seeds 2 TBSP = 70mg
- Sesame seeds or tahini – 30g – roughly 2 TBSP = 142mg calcium
- Dried figs
By including a mix of each of these foods each day, including 1 portion of sardines or salmon, a cup or two of greens reaching 100mg calcium combined, it is possible to reach the recommended 1200mg of calcium each day. It is easy to see how it would be possible to fall short of the daily calcium requirements if you just missed out one or 2 of the high calcium containing foods. It is comforting to know that the body can store calcium so missing a day or 2 will not impact bone health too severely, but a continuation of limiting calcium over the years plus a sedentary lifestyle and you can see how so many people suffer with osteoporosis in later life.
A very simple example of what a day could look like to incorporate calcium could be;
BREAKFAST: Yoghurt/Kefir with chia seeds and almonds
LUNCH: Salmon or Sardines with 1-2 portions of greens
DINNER: Protein plus 1-2 portions of greens with a dressing made from tahini and a shaving of parmesan.
You would of course add many more foods to this to make a variety of meals to include all the other nutritional requirements but simply thinking about calcium and how you can add it throughout the day is a useful exercise to know how much you are really eating.
OTHER NUTRIENTS NEEDED FOR BONE HEALTH
Magnesium
Magnesium helps regulate calcium levels and supports the bone-building process.
Sources:
- Leafy Greens, Nuts and Seeds, Whole Grains, Legumes, Fish
Phosphorus
Phosphorus works with calcium to form calcium phosphate, the main mineral complex in bones.
Sources:
- Meat and Poultry, Fish, Dairy, Nuts and Seeds, Whole Grains
Vitamin D
Vitamin D isn’t a mineral, but it’s essential for calcium absorption and bone health.
Sources:
- Sunlight: The body produces vitamin D when exposed to sunlight.
- Fatty Fish, Fortified Foods, Egg Yolks, Mushrooms
Vitamin K
Vitamin K is important for bone mineralisation and helps bones retain calcium.
Sources:
- Leafy Greens, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Fermented Foods
Zinc
Zinc supports bone formation and mineralisation.
Sources:
- Meat, Shellfish, Legumes, Nuts and Seeds, Whole Grains
Copper
Copper plays a role in collagen formation and bone strength.
Sources:
- Shellfish, Nuts and Seeds, Whole Grains, Legumes, Dark Chocolate
Boron
Boron helps with the metabolism of minerals involved in bone health and may help retain calcium in bones.
Sources:
- Fruits, Leafy Greens, Nuts and Seeds, Legumes
Manganese
Manganese supports bone formation and works with other minerals to enhance bone density.
Sources:
- Whole Grains, Nuts, Leafy Greens
MY PERSONAL PROTOCAL FOR EATING FOR BONE HEALTH
When thinking what diet to eat for good health, it very often comes back to the old advice that you should eat a balanced diet. With so many food choices available, it can be a bit overwhelming to know what a balanced diet looks like!
To me personally, it looks like this;
I try and include as many calcium rich foods as possible from this list;
- Bio-live yoghurt or Kefir – 120 mls of kefir = 111mg calcium
- Variety of cheeses – a 3cm cube of parmesan = 245mg calcium
- Sardines = tin of 135g = 350mg calcium
- Salmon = 150g = 340mg calcium
- Leafy greens – all (excluding delicate herbs such as parsley, watercress and rocket) blanched and drained to reduce oxalates)
- Kale – 1 cup = 90mg
- Parsley 1 cup = 82mg
- Bok choi 1 cup = 73mg
- Spinach 1 cup = 29mg
- Broccoli 1 cup = 42mg
- Watercress = 40mg
- Brussels sprouts = 37mg
- Rocket = 32mg
- Chia seeds 2 TBSP = 179mg calcium
- Almonds = 100g = 264mg calcium
- Poppy Seeds 2 TBSP = 350mg
- Flax Seeds 2 TBSP = 70mg
- Sesame seeds or tahini – 30g – roughly 2 TBSP = 142mg calcium
- Dried figs
And the rest of my diet looks like this;
- Adequate protein (30g per meal) spaced throughout the day from beef, chicken, fish, dairy and eggs.
- 1-2 cups of leafy greens – blanched to remove oxalates.
- ½ -1 cup of wholegrains depending on activity levels that day, such as brown rice (sometimes I swap for white rice), quinoa, buckwheat groats, etc.
- A variety of fibre rich foods over the course of a week such as cooked vegetables, properly prepared legumes and lentils, salads, soaked and roasted nuts to remove phytic acid and seeds.
- I add fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kefir and kombucha for gut health.
- Alfalfa sprouts which are high in sulphur.
- I use homemade or shop bought bone broth in stews and soups for collagen.
- I avoid gluten because it does not agree with my digestion so that means not eating bread, pasta, barley, oats (they act the same as gluten in my system).
- I add lots of flavour from herbs, spices, vinegars, citrus and mineral rich sea salt.
- A sweet treat would be a small amount of dark chocolate or a hot chocolate made from raw cacao, molasses and coconut milk but this is high in oxalates which can interfere with calcium availability so I limit these to an occasional treat.
When thinking particularly about bone health, I incorporate foods higher in calcium and trace minerals all needed for building bone and I am conscious of my lifestyle choices such as sun exposure, exercise, stress and other factors which are important to consider.
EXERCISE
I aim to exercise daily for 60 minutes – usually in the morning when I wake and before breakfast. This will either be a run outside or lifting heavy weights at the gym. Rebounding on a trampoline, wearing a weighted vest when walking or using a vibration plate are all good for bone health. If I don’t have time in the morning then I will find time later in the day. Exercise is an essential for my physical health but also my mental health too. I feel so much more energised if I incorporate it into my daily schedule. I try not to sit too much during the day and take regular breaks away from sitting by doing housework, walking the dog or running errands.
This impact from exercise on my bones is essential for creating the environment and sending the biochemical signals that my body needs to build new bone and if I am eating the right nutrients, they will be used effectively.
THINGS TO AVOID
While thinking about what to include, it’s important to try and avoid the things which may put all that hard work to waste – things like smoking, alcohol, fizzy drinks, being sedentary – all these things will rob you of good bone health, so it is important to exclude them as much as possible.
SUPPLEMENTS
With my calcium rich breakfast which includes kefir yoghurt, chia seeds and almonds, I take magnesium glycinate, Vitamin D & K2 and a tablespoon of bovine collagen powder. I feel this gives me an all-round profile for bone building nutrition and I call it my Breakfast for Bones!
I wish you well in your health and quest for maintaining good bone health. So much is within your control – educate yourself, commit and action – your body wants to be the best version of itself it can be and it is up to you to give it the tools it needs to thrive.
You’ve got this!
Joanne x
DISCLAIMER: This is for informational purposes only and is not intended to give health advise. If you require help with understanding bone health, osteopenia or osteoporosis, please contact your GP or specialist health care provider.