Super Foods for Your Bones

Strong Bones: Yours to Keep

Our bones remain strong throughout young adulthood. As we hit middle age, they slowly begin to thin out. In women, this process accelerates after menopause, but there are ways to put on the brakes. One of the best lines of defense is your diet -- eating the right foods can give you the maximum peak bone mass and boost your bone density at any age.

Got Milk?

Calcium is the cornerstone of strong bones. Adults up to age 50 need 1,000 milligrams per day. Beginning at age 51, women need 1,200 milligrams every day, and when men hit 71, they need to hit that mark, too. The pop star of calcium sources is undoubtedly milk. A single 8-ounce cup of milk, whether skim, low-fat, or whole, has 300 milligrams of calcium.

Yogurt and Cheese

Not a milk drinker? A cup of yogurt has at least as much calcium as an 8-ounce cup of milk. And one ounce of Swiss cheese has nearly as much. Even if you're lactose intolerant, there are now plenty of dairy products that are lactose-reduced or lactose-free. Removing lactose from milk and dairy foods does not affect the calcium content.

Sardines

Milk and dairy products are not the only ways to get calcium. Another excellent source is sardines. All those little fish bones have just what you need to build bone mass in your own body. Eating 3 ounces of canned sardines delivers a little more calcium than a cup of milk.

Greens