Is this the #1 food for bone health – among other health benefits? When you're done reading this article, take a quick look in your fridge and adjust accordingly; your bones will thank you for it.
Here's what research says should be your go-to, staple food to keep your bones strong and healthy as you get older.
The answer: yogurt, which not only contains approximately a third of your recommended daily allowance (RDA) of calcium, a proven pro-bone micronutrient, but also potassium, protein and other compounds known to promote bone health.
According to one study, published in Osteoporosis International, seniors (ages 60 years and older) who ate more yogurt had better bone health (indicated by higher total hip, femoral neck, and vertebral bone mineral density) than seniors who ate less yogurt. Bone health-related measures of physical function were also superior in the high-yogurt group, and indicators of osteopenia and osteoporosis risk were lower.
The researchers' conclusion is as straightforward as it gets: "Improving yogurt intakes could be a valuable health strategy for maintaining bone health in older adults." And let's not forget that yogurt also contains probiotics, which promote GI health and keep the gut microbiome functioning optimally. Increasing research links GI health to myriad positive health indicators.