Supplement seven nutrients to build strong bones

　　1. Bone “supporter”: calcium

　　Human bones are "living". When calcium intake is insufficient, the calcium in the bones will be released into the blood to maintain the blood calcium concentration, resulting in lower and lower bone density and increasingly porous bones, which can lead to fractures, bone degeneration and hyperplasia, or rickets in children.

　　Nutrition strategy: Some people have made statistics and found that the average person can only consume 250-350 mg of calcium in their daily diet, which is far from the daily calcium intake of 800-1000 mg recommended by the Chinese Nutrition Society.

　　Experts point out that you should eat more calcium-containing foods when you are young in order to store enough calcium for your bones. Under normal circumstances, eating more milk, soy products, kelp, dried shrimps, etc. can meet the calcium supplement needs of normal people.

　　You can add some vinegar when cooking to help dissolve calcium and aid absorption. People who like to eat high-fat foods such as fatty meats and fried foods, as well as those who like to eat salty foods, should pay special attention to calcium supplements, because fat and salt will inhibit the absorption of calcium.

　　2. Bone “gas station”: Vitamin D

　　It can promote intestinal calcium absorption and reduce kidney calcium excretion, just like a gas station, continuously replenishing calcium into bones. If there is a lack of vitamin D, the hardness of bones will decrease, forming "chondrosis". Young children often have underdeveloped skulls and thorax and are prone to rickets; pregnant women and the elderly will have reduced bone strength in their lower limbs, pelvis, etc.

　　Nutrition strategy: 90% of the vitamin D in the human body relies on ultraviolet rays in the sun and passes through itself. skin Synthesis; the remaining 10% is absorbed through food, such as mushrooms, seafood, animal liver, egg yolks and lean meat.

　　Experts point out that the safest, most effective and economical way to supplement vitamin D is to bask in the sun. American researchers suggest that when the weather is fine, you should not wear sunscreen within two hours before and after noon every day, expose more than 40% of your skin, and bask in the sun for 5-15 minutes. For people who work in office buildings for many years, exposure to sunlight through glass cannot achieve the effect of vitamin D supplementation, so it is best to do more outdoor exercise during holidays.

　　3. Bone “concrete”: protein

　　22% of bones are protein, mainly collagen. With protein, human bones can be like concrete, hard but not brittle, flexible, and able to withstand the impact of external forces. The amino acids and peptides in protein are beneficial to calcium absorption.

　　If long-term protein intake is insufficient, not only will a person's new bone formation lag behind, but it will also easily lead to osteoporosis. Studies have found that people who do not like to eat meat and soy products and are deficient in protein for a long time are prone to hip fractures.

　　Nutrition strategy: Eat foods rich in collagen and elastin, which are good for bones healthy The most beneficial, such as milk, eggs, walnuts, meat skin, fish skin, pig trotter jelly, etc. Normal people do not need to take additional health products such as protein powder. Excessive protein intake is detrimental to bones. It will increase the acidity of human blood and accelerate the dissolution of calcium in bones and the excretion of calcium in urine.

　　4. Bone “defender”: magnesium

　　60%-65% of the magnesium in the human body is found in bones. Experts say magnesium plays an important role in the formation of new bone. Although the content of magnesium in bones is small, once it is lacking, it will make the bones brittle and easier to break.

　　Long-term magnesium deficiency can also cause vitamin D deficiency and affect bone health. Dietary intake of magnesium is low female , bone density is also lower.

　　Nutrition strategy: Seaweed, whole grains, almonds, peanuts and spinach are all rich in magnesium. Eating peanuts 2-3 times a week, 5-8 peanuts each time, can meet a person's need for magnesium; drinking more water can also promote the absorption of magnesium.

　　5. Bone “stabilizer”: potassium

　　Every cell in the human body contains potassium, and bones are no exception. Its main function is to maintain acid-base balance, participate in energy metabolism and nerve The normal function of muscles, which is essential for the growth and metabolism of bones. Recently, a study published in the American Journal of Environmental Nutrition also pointed out that potassium can prevent calcium loss and make bones stronger.

　　Nutrition strategy: To supplement potassium, eat more bananas, oranges, plums, Grape Dried fruits, tomatoes, potatoes, spinach, yams and other vegetables, as well as seaweed, kelp and other seaweed foods are the safest and most effective methods. Orange juice, in particular, is rich in potassium and can replenish water and energy. Potassium supplements are best avoided as they may be bad for your heart.

　　6. Bone "additive": Vitamin K

　　Just like food needs certain additives, bones also need additives such as vitamin K to activate a very important protein in bones - osteocalcin, thereby improving the bone's fracture resistance.

　　Harvard University research shows that if women have low vitamin K intake, they will increase the risk of osteoporosis and femur fractures. A Dutch study found that supplementing vitamin K can promote bone health and reduce the occurrence of arthritis in children.

　　Nutrition strategy: In the diet, the darker the green color of the vegetable leaves, the higher the vitamin K content. As long as you eat 500 grams of vegetables every day, including more than 300 grams of dark green leafy vegetables, you can effectively prevent vitamin K deficiency.

　　People who take antibiotics for a long time may have the balance of intestinal flora disrupted and affect the synthesis of vitamin K. They should pay special attention to eating more green leafy vegetables. In addition, vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin. When supplementing, it is best not to eat vegetables raw, but to stir-fry them with seasoned oil.

　　7. Bone “scavenger”: Vitamin B12

　　Vitamin B12 is the only vitamin that contains the mineral phosphorus, which plays an important role in maintaining bone hardness. It is like a "scavenger" that can remove homocysteine ​​from the blood, protect bones, and prevent osteoporosis and even hip fractures caused by excessive homocysteine.

　　Nutrition strategy: Animal liver, shellfish, lean beef, whole wheat bread and low-fat dairy products are all foods rich in vitamin B12. However, it is difficult for the elderly to absorb vitamin B12, and plant foods (except algae such as spirulina) do not contain vitamin B12. Therefore, people over 50 years old and vegetarians can take appropriate supplements, and the daily intake standard is 2.4 micrograms.