Bone health
Bone health
How to keep your bones healthy and strong
Enjoying a healthy diet and including weight-bearing exercise in your daily routine can help to keep your bones healthy
Eating for healthy bones Eating certain foods and exercising regularly can help keep your bones healthy and strong Building and protecting strong bones is really important for all of us. We build bone strength from infancy up to mid-twenties, after which it starts to decline and some bone loss occurs. When women go through menopause, bone loss accelerates rapidly, putting them at greater risk of osteoporosis. It’s essential we do enough weight-bearing exercise (such as walking, running, tennis, aerobics and football) and eat a balanced diet with plenty of bone-building nutrients early on in life to build strong bones, and when we get older to maintain bone strength. Important bone-building nutrients include calcium, vitamin D and phosphorus. Following a healthy balanced diet (see the Eatwell plate below) will provide you with these nutrients. Although you don’t get much vitamin D through your diet, you can get it through exposure to sunlight.
To ensure you get all the nutrients your body needs, you need to eat some foods from each of the food groups each day. Foods from the largest food groups should be eaten most often. Adapted from the Eatwell plate in discussion with the Food Standards Agency. The Eatwell plate is suitable for all adults and children over the age of 5.
Your daily calcium needs An average adult should aim to get 700mg of calcium each day. The easiest way to achieve this is to have three portions of dairy. A portion is a 200ml glass of milk, a 150g pot of yogurt or 30g hard cheese (size of a small matchbox). Try eating low-fat varieties like skimmed milk and low-fat yogurt. If you don’t eat dairy products there are plenty of alternatives provided in our list (right).
Bread, rice, potatoes, pasta and other starchy foods
Fruit and vegetables
Meat, fish, eggs, beans and other non-dairy sources of protein
Milk and dairy foods Foods and drinks high in fat and/or sugar
We’ve created a handy list to help you choose the best bone-friendly foods when you shop Food group
What?
Why?
Bread, rice potatoes and other starchy foods
Starchy foods should make up the bulk of your energy needs. Aim for a serving at every meal. Try: • porridge oats • wholegrain breakfast cereals such as wholegrain wheat cereals or malted wheats • granary, wholegrain, rye and white bread (white flour is fortified with calcium) • brown rice • brown pasta (or ‘whole & white’) • potatoes • cereal bars fortified with calcium.
• Starchy foods are a great source of energy and fibre. Choosing wholegrain varieties gives a good source of B vitamins and some minerals. • Some breakfast cereals are fortified with vitamins and minerals – many of Sainsbury’s own-brand breakfast cereals are also fortified with vitamin D. Having fortified breakfast cereal with milk gives you one portion of dairy, providing you with calcium.
Fruits and vegetables
Fruits and vegetables provide vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fibre – aim to eat a variety of five portions a day. • Fresh, frozen, canned and dried all count, as do 100% juices. • Green leafy vegetables such as curly kale and watercress are a source of calcium.
• Getting a wide range of vitamins and minerals is really important for bone health. • Varying the types and colour of fruit and vegetables will help to get different vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. OF • Look out for the five-a-day symbol A-DAY Y on packs.
Meat, fish, eggs, beans and other non-dairy sources of protein
Eat in moderation and aim for at least two different types every day: • Lean cuts of meat • Soft bony fish such as sardines, pilchards, whitebait and canned salmon contain calcium. Oily fish such as mackerel and fresh tuna are a source of vitamin D • Nuts and seeds • Pulses such as peas, beans, lentils • Soya products such as tofu, textured vegetable protein and soya milk (look out for ones fortified with calcium) • Eggs
Protein is really important for lots of different functions in the body, including helping with bone structure. Choosing different protein sources will help to provide a variety of the building blocks that the body needs to maintain good bone structure. • Red meat, chicken and fish also all provide phosphorus. • Most nuts are a good source of phosphorus and almonds are a source of calcium.
Milk and dairy foods
To achieve your daily calcium requirements, you should aim to have three portions of dairy every day. Try: • low-fat milk • cheese • low-fat yogurt • soya milk and soya products and rice milk (look out for ones fortified with calcium – these are a good source of calcium for those avoiding dairy) • yogurt-based smoothies or flavoured low-fat milk.
• Milk and dairy foods are a great source of calcium. By choosing lower-fat options you can maintain your calcium intake but decrease your intake of saturated fat. Low-fat dairy products (such as skimmed milk) contain just as much calcium as full-fat versions. • Dairy products are also a good source of protein and phosphorus. • If you choose to replace dairy products with an alternative such as soya, make sure that it has added calcium.
Foods and drinks high in fat and/ or sugar
• Swap saturated fats for unsaturated fats and spreads such as sunflower, olive or rapeseed. • Cakes and biscuits can be enjoyed in moderation.
Eat sugary and fatty food and drink in moderation, as being a healthy weight is important for overall health and bone health. Low body weight increases your risk of fragile bones, as does a diet that omits fats.
15
Ask your Sainsbury’s pharmacist Please talk to our friendly pharmacists instore if you or your family need any healthcare advice or support. Our pharmacies have extended opening hours and are in most of our larger stores.
. upplement savvy S If you have a healthy balanced diet and include foods from our list then you should be getting all the nutrients you require without needing supplements. However, if you are concerned that you aren’t getting enough nutrients, you should speak to your pharmacist for advice.
Calcium for teenage girls There is a concern that teenage girls and young women are not consuming enough calcium. It’s crucial that we lay down enough calcium in our bones during adolescence and young adulthood to reduce the risk of getting osteoporosis later on in life.
Useful websites For more information on bone health and osteoporosis, visit National Osteoporosis Society www.nos.org.uk For more information on healthy eating, visit The British Dietetic Association www.bda.uk.com For more information on dairy and health, visit The Dairy Council www.milk.co.uk For more information on nutrition and health, visit www.sainsburys.co.uk This information is a guide only and should not replace advice given by your healthcare professional Sainsbury’s Supermarkets Ltd, 33 Holborn, London EC1N 2HT. All items subject to availability. Some items available in larger stores only.
How to keep your bones healthy and strong
Enjoying a healthy diet and including weight-bearing exercise in your daily routine can help to keep your bones healthy
Eating for healthy bones Eating certain foods and exercising regularly can help keep your bones healthy and strong Building and protecting strong bones is really important for all of us. We build bone strength from infancy up to mid-twenties, after which it starts to decline and some bone loss occurs. When women go through menopause, bone loss accelerates rapidly, putting them at greater risk of osteoporosis. It’s essential we do enough weight-bearing exercise (such as walking, running, tennis, aerobics and football) and eat a balanced diet with plenty of bone-building nutrients early on in life to build strong bones, and when we get older to maintain bone strength. Important bone-building nutrients include calcium, vitamin D and phosphorus. Following a healthy balanced diet (see the Eatwell plate below) will provide you with these nutrients. Although you don’t get much vitamin D through your diet, you can get it through exposure to sunlight.
To ensure you get all the nutrients your body needs, you need to eat some foods from each of the food groups each day. Foods from the largest food groups should be eaten most often. Adapted from the Eatwell plate in discussion with the Food Standards Agency. The Eatwell plate is suitable for all adults and children over the age of 5.
Your daily calcium needs An average adult should aim to get 700mg of calcium each day. The easiest way to achieve this is to have three portions of dairy. A portion is a 200ml glass of milk, a 150g pot of yogurt or 30g hard cheese (size of a small matchbox). Try eating low-fat varieties like skimmed milk and low-fat yogurt. If you don’t eat dairy products there are plenty of alternatives provided in our list (right).
Bread, rice, potatoes, pasta and other starchy foods
Fruit and vegetables
Meat, fish, eggs, beans and other non-dairy sources of protein
Milk and dairy foods Foods and drinks high in fat and/or sugar
We’ve created a handy list to help you choose the best bone-friendly foods when you shop Food group
What?
Why?
Bread, rice potatoes and other starchy foods
Starchy foods should make up the bulk of your energy needs. Aim for a serving at every meal. Try: • porridge oats • wholegrain breakfast cereals such as wholegrain wheat cereals or malted wheats • granary, wholegrain, rye and white bread (white flour is fortified with calcium) • brown rice • brown pasta (or ‘whole & white’) • potatoes • cereal bars fortified with calcium.
• Starchy foods are a great source of energy and fibre. Choosing wholegrain varieties gives a good source of B vitamins and some minerals. • Some breakfast cereals are fortified with vitamins and minerals – many of Sainsbury’s own-brand breakfast cereals are also fortified with vitamin D. Having fortified breakfast cereal with milk gives you one portion of dairy, providing you with calcium.
Fruits and vegetables
Fruits and vegetables provide vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fibre – aim to eat a variety of five portions a day. • Fresh, frozen, canned and dried all count, as do 100% juices. • Green leafy vegetables such as curly kale and watercress are a source of calcium.
• Getting a wide range of vitamins and minerals is really important for bone health. • Varying the types and colour of fruit and vegetables will help to get different vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. OF • Look out for the five-a-day symbol A-DAY Y on packs.
Meat, fish, eggs, beans and other non-dairy sources of protein
Eat in moderation and aim for at least two different types every day: • Lean cuts of meat • Soft bony fish such as sardines, pilchards, whitebait and canned salmon contain calcium. Oily fish such as mackerel and fresh tuna are a source of vitamin D • Nuts and seeds • Pulses such as peas, beans, lentils • Soya products such as tofu, textured vegetable protein and soya milk (look out for ones fortified with calcium) • Eggs
Protein is really important for lots of different functions in the body, including helping with bone structure. Choosing different protein sources will help to provide a variety of the building blocks that the body needs to maintain good bone structure. • Red meat, chicken and fish also all provide phosphorus. • Most nuts are a good source of phosphorus and almonds are a source of calcium.
Milk and dairy foods
To achieve your daily calcium requirements, you should aim to have three portions of dairy every day. Try: • low-fat milk • cheese • low-fat yogurt • soya milk and soya products and rice milk (look out for ones fortified with calcium – these are a good source of calcium for those avoiding dairy) • yogurt-based smoothies or flavoured low-fat milk.
• Milk and dairy foods are a great source of calcium. By choosing lower-fat options you can maintain your calcium intake but decrease your intake of saturated fat. Low-fat dairy products (such as skimmed milk) contain just as much calcium as full-fat versions. • Dairy products are also a good source of protein and phosphorus. • If you choose to replace dairy products with an alternative such as soya, make sure that it has added calcium.
Foods and drinks high in fat and/ or sugar
• Swap saturated fats for unsaturated fats and spreads such as sunflower, olive or rapeseed. • Cakes and biscuits can be enjoyed in moderation.
Eat sugary and fatty food and drink in moderation, as being a healthy weight is important for overall health and bone health. Low body weight increases your risk of fragile bones, as does a diet that omits fats.
15
Ask your Sainsbury’s pharmacist Please talk to our friendly pharmacists instore if you or your family need any healthcare advice or support. Our pharmacies have extended opening hours and are in most of our larger stores.
. upplement savvy S If you have a healthy balanced diet and include foods from our list then you should be getting all the nutrients you require without needing supplements. However, if you are concerned that you aren’t getting enough nutrients, you should speak to your pharmacist for advice.
Calcium for teenage girls There is a concern that teenage girls and young women are not consuming enough calcium. It’s crucial that we lay down enough calcium in our bones during adolescence and young adulthood to reduce the risk of getting osteoporosis later on in life.
Useful websites For more information on bone health and osteoporosis, visit National Osteoporosis Society www.nos.org.uk For more information on healthy eating, visit The British Dietetic Association www.bda.uk.com For more information on dairy and health, visit The Dairy Council www.milk.co.uk For more information on nutrition and health, visit www.sainsburys.co.uk This information is a guide only and should not replace advice given by your healthcare professional Sainsbury’s Supermarkets Ltd, 33 Holborn, London EC1N 2HT. All items subject to availability. Some items available in larger stores only.
