Calcium and Vitamin D

Eating right for bone health basically comes down to two things: Calcium and Vitamin D. Calcium is a mineral essential for your body to function properly, and it’s stored in your bones. Vitamin D is necessary for your body to absorb calcium. Not getting enough calcium in your diet can lead to fragile, brittle bones more prone to fractures and disease.

Click through the slideshow to find foods high in calicum and vitamin D.

Milk

The “Got Milk?” campaign was truthful; one cup of milk has about 30 percent of the calcium you need daily. On top of that, milk sold in stores will typically be fortified with vitamin D, making it a double-whammy when it comes to bone health.

Recipes that include milk: 

• Spinach & Ham Quiche
• Cajun Baked Catfish
• Garlic-and-Chicken Pasta

Dark, Leafy Greens

Dark, leafy greens, such as kale, arugula, watercress, and collard greens are perhaps the best non-dairy sources of calcium. Note that spinach (usually included with this group) contains oxalic acid, which makes its calcium not absorbable by the human body.

Try these recipes:

• Sautéed Kale Balsamico 
• Pan-Seared Salmon with Arugula

Salmon

Vitamin D, essential to your bone health, is rarely found in nature. Fatty fish, such as salmon, are probably the best source out there. One serving of salmon alone will provide you all the vitamin D you need in a day. In addition, if you get canned salmon, it will include the softer (and edible) bones of the fish, meaning it’s loaded with calcium.

Try Pan-Seared Salmon with Arugula. 

Catfish

While we’re on fish, let’s add catfish to the menu. While perhaps the most inexpensive variety of fish, catfish is also one of the highest in vitamin D. Here are a couple of delicious recipes using catfish you can try: 

• Oven-Barbecued Fish
• Cajun Baked Catfish

Almond Butter

Of all the tree nuts you can find in your local grocery, almonds have the highest amount of calcium per serving. You can get the same calcium benefits from almond butter. And a as bonus, almond butter has no cholesterol and is lower in fat and higher in protein than peanut butter.

For a delicious recipe using almond butter, try Almond Chocolate Mousse. 

Cheese

It’s pretty simple: Cheese is made from milk. Milk has lots of calcium. Ergo, cheese has lots of calcium, and there are plenty of kinds to choose from. Mozzarella has a particularly high calcium count. For healthier options, try cheeses made from skim milk.

Try these recipes that include cheese:

• Spinach & Ham Quiche 
• Low-Fat Tuna Casserole
• Almond Chocolate Mousse

Yogurt

Yogurt is an ancient culinary product, dating back as far as 2,000 BC. Due to yogurt’s preparation process, this dietary staple actually contains significantly more calcium than the milk from which it is made—one 8-ounce serving of low-fat yogurt provides a full 42 percent of your daily calcium needs.

Try the Orange Dream Smoothie. 

Tuna

Tuna is another fatty fish that is loaded with healthful vitamin D. It also contains high amounts of other beneficial nutrients like potassium, magnesium, and omega-3 fatty acids. And because it comes canned, it’s easy to find, easy on the wallet, and simple to add to your diet. 

Try our recipe for Low-Fat Tuna Casserole, an updated take on a classic homestyle dish. 

Eggs

Good news for breakfast lovers: Eggs contain a nice amount of vitamin D and can improve bone health. The vitamin D is found in the yolks only, so if you tend to eat egg white omelets, you should get your vitamin D elsewhere. On the topic of breakfast, don’t forget that these days many brands of orange juice are fortified with vitamin D and calcium.

For a delicious egg-based dish that can be served for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, try the Spinach & Ham Quiche.

Broccoli

Your mother was right; you should finish all of the broccoli on your plate. Of all the non-dairy sources of calcium out there, broccoli is second to only the dark, leafy greens discussed earlier. And broccoli isn’t only bone healthy; it is an excellent source of vitamin C, fiber, and nutrients that contain cancer-fighting properties.

Try these recipes that include broccoli:

• Low-Fat Tuna Casserole 
• Garlic-and-Chicken Pasta

More Ways to Improve Bone Health

Getting enough calcium in your diet is perhaps the most important thing you can do for your bones. As you age, your body will continue to need calcium to keep your bones strong and dense.

But it’s not the only thing you can—or should—do. Check out these 10 Tips to Increase Bone Strength, and read about these 7 Common Osteoporosis Myths so that you can be better informed about your bone health.