Did you know? In an adult, the skeleton comprises around 14% of the total body weight and half of this weight is water. The human skeleton consists of both fused and individual bones supported and supplemented by ligaments, tendons, muscles and cartilage. It serves as a scaffold which supports organs, anchors muscles and protects organs such as the brain, lungs and heart. The biggest bone in the body is the femur in the upper leg, and the smallest is the stapes bone in the middle ear.
So it’s really important to take good care of your bones, especially as we grow older.
When we are young we don’t give much thought to this skeletal system, but the older we get we are reminded of its importance. Your body best absorbs vitamins and minerals from food rather than supplements. Here is a list of the bone-building vitamins and where we can find them in our foods.
Calcium
Dark leafy greens, sardines, salmon, turnip greens, collards, dairy and cabbage
Magnesium
Brown rice, beans, corn, dark green vegetables, whole grain cereals, nuts
Vitamin D
Fortified milk, egg yolks, saltwater fish, cod liver oil
Vitamin K
Broccoli, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, eggs, chickpeas
Boron
Raisins, prunes, nuts, apples, cabbage, grapes, cherries, peaches, pears
Silicon
Asparagus, cabbage, lettuce, olives, radishes, whole grains
Zinc
Nuts, oats, oysters, peanuts, pecans, pumpkin seeds, rye
Folic Acid
Beans, green vegetables, citrus fruits, wheat germ
Manganese
Black tea, whole grains, nuts, seeds, red meat
