Most of us think that eating foods containing calcium, such as dairy, is the main way to keep bones strong and prevent osteoporosis, but a new study shows that fruits and vegetables play an important role as well.
UK researchers have demonstrated that a potassium salts, (bicarbonate and citrate), plentiful in fruits and vegetables, are crucial in maintaining bone strength.
Throughout our lives, our bodies undergo a constant process known as bone remodeling in which mature bone tissue is removed from the skeleton (a process called bone resorption) and new bone tissue is formed.
The study showed that potassium salts help reduce the excretion of calcium and acid in the urine, an indication that bone resorption process has been slowed.
"Excess acid in the body, produced as a result of a typical Western diet high in animal and cereal protein, causes bones to weaken and fracture. Our study shows that these salts could prevent osteoporosis, as our results showed a decrease in bone resorption,” said lead author Dr. Helen Lambert from the University of Surrey.
Eating more fruits and vegetables could be a way to improve bone strength and prevent osteoporosis, she said in the study, which was published in Osteoporosis International.
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