The World Health Organization has even said that osteoporosis is a silent epidemic. The WHO spoke in these terms of this condition because it is a disease that causes neither bone pain nor muscle pain and does not show symptoms until it is very advanced. Most people are not diagnosed with osteoporosis until their first fracture, which sometimes occurs without any trauma or blow.
Bearing this in mind, it is vital that we take care of bone health, even more so once we are over 40 years old. The best way to take care of them is to maintain good eating habits that, in addition to preventing overweight, help us maintain strong bones. With that objective, from FastlyHealwe wrote this article so that you know which are the wrong foods for osteoporosis, and you can limit their intake or remove them from your diet.
Table of Contents
What is osteoporosis
We call osteoporosis the disease that affects the bones, gradually decreasing their density. This decrease in bone density greatly weakens them, significantly increasing the chances of suffering fractures and more injuries.
Osteoporosis is a degenerative condition that progresses little by little. As we have said before, this disease is asymptomatic in most cases, so it is not usually diagnosed until the bones have already become so porous and thin that they break at some point.
Although men can also have osteoporosis, this is an eminently feminine pathology, with a high incidence among women who have already undergone menopause. However, only with a change in eating habits can we reduce the chances of having osteoporosis by up to 20%. Here we explain what the prohibited foods for osteoporosis are.
Prohibited foods for osteoporosis
The salt
Salty foods are one of these harmful foods for osteoporosis. The cause is that salt increases the function of the kidneys, causing them to filter and remove too much salt. Taking this into account, we must avoid ingesting more than 1,200 milligrams of salt per day.
Another thing to keep in mind is that we not only eat salt when we add it to food; there are many products such as pre-cooked meals or sausages that are an authentic source of iodine that we are often not aware of.
The sweets
Like salt, sweets are another of the prohibited foods for osteoporosis. Too much sugar inhibits the absorption of both calcium and phosphorus from our bodies. The case of phosphorus is essential since this mineral is one of those that make it easier for the body to absorb calcium. There are some exceptions we can grab if we don’t want to give up sweets altogether, such as raisins, blueberries, and antioxidant-rich fruits.
Significant is the effect of cola drinks on osteoporosis. According to recent studies, drinking more than six cola drinks a week is associated with increased fractures and reduced bone density, attributed to the effect of the phosphoric acid present in these drinks. Phosphoric acid works by weakening the intestines, making it difficult for them to absorb calcium from food.
Caffeinated drinks
For every 100 milligrams that we infer in caffeine, our body loses 6 milligrams of calcium. Caffeine acts as a filter for calcium in our bones, so it is much more advisable to consume decaffeinated coffee or opt for other beverages such as tea and infusions.
Alcohol
Although alcohol taken in moderation can have positive benefits for our body at the cardiovascular level, chronic consumption of this substance reduces bone mass, aggravating the symptoms of osteoporosis.
Consequently, women should not drink more than one alcoholic drink a day, a glass of beer or wine, and men should in no case have more than two.
Vegetables
Pilates are substances that interfere and make it difficult for our body to absorb calcium normally, and legumes are a type of food that contain large plates. However, we must not forget that legumes such as lentils, beans, or peas provide us with essential nutrients such as magnesium, fiber, and iron, so instead of eliminating them from our diet, it is much more advisable to soak them a few hours before cooking them.
Foods rich in oxalates
Oxalates or oxalic acid are a class of compounds present in certain foods that inhibit the body’s ability to absorb calcium. When oxalate binds to calcium, it becomes insoluble in the intestine, preventing the body from absorbing it. That is why those rich in oxalates should be prohibited for people with osteoporosis.
Chard or spinach are two of the vegetables that contain the most oxalates. In order not to eliminate them from the diet, since on the other hand, they provide us with numerous benefits, an excellent way to eat them is to eat them together with calcium, for example with some cheese.
Importance of diet in osteoporosis
Calcium is not only necessary to prevent osteoporosis; this mineral is also essential for the proper functioning of the heart, nerves, and muscles and proper blood clotting. The studies that have been done indicate that osteoporosis and other diseases related to the loss of bone density are directly related to an insufficient calcium intake.
It is essential for those who have osteoporosis to change eating habits so that the body can receive the necessary amount of calcium, but eating calcium is not everything. Vitamin D, which is found in oily fish, eggs, shellfish, and mollusks but is mainly what we produce thanks to contact with sunlight, is a necessary element for our body to absorb calcium. Without vitamin D, there is no calcium, so we must also try to keep the levels of this vitamin high. In the following article you will find the foods rich in vitamin D .
This article is merely informative, at FastlyHeal .com we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.
If you want to read more articles similar to Bad foods for osteoporosis , we recommend that you enter our Bones, Joints and Muscles category .
I am a Surgeon with a diploma in comprehensive ultrasound and surgical care residency, an area I am specializing in. During the exercise of my profession, I have realized the need for patients to know the diseases they suffer, and I can tell you that a large part of their complications is due to a lack of information. Being a health web writer allows me to transmit my experience, without borders, to all those readers eager for knowledge, educate them in the prevention of diseases and promote a healthy lifestyle.