The secret to healthy bones? You can’t beat onions! DR MEGAN ROSSI reveals what everyone should do to protect themselves

Bone is an amazing material—weight for weight, it’s actually as strong as steel. Healthy bones do, but weakened bones can be broken by the force of a simple sneeze.

Yet few people think about their bone health until they have a fracture or a scan that reveals a weakness.

However, it’s really something we all need to pay more attention to, as weak bones can eventually rob you of your independence, and in many cases, there are very simple changes to your diet and lifestyle (including eating onions!) that will do the trick. do Improving the future can help prevent problems. And these are things that I think everyone should be doing from a young age, even in their 20s.

Bones are living things: old bone is constantly being broken down and replaced by new bone (our skeleton is completely replaced within a decade).

But even at a relatively young age – after the age of 30 – we lose more than we make, which means we experience a progressive loss of bone mass, a process that accelerates in postmenopausal women.

In fact, in people with osteoporosis, the process is accelerated, and their bones can become so weak that even a minimal bump, sudden movement or sneeze can cause a fracture.

It’s still incredibly common – according to the Royal Osteoporosis Society, more than three million people in the UK suffer from osteoporosis (and it’s more common in women).

The risk of osteoporosis depends on several factors, including genetics and the use of certain medications, such as steroids, which can slow new bone formation.

But diet can also play a role, and many people with osteopenia, the precursor to osteoporosis when the bones begin to weaken, can prevent progression to full-blown osteoporosis by switching to a more bone-friendly diet.

What we can all do for our bones is to eat calcium-rich foods in two meals a day.

In fact, in people with osteoporosis, the process is accelerated, and their bones can become so weak that even a minimal bump, sudden movement or sneeze can cause a fracture

About 99 percent of bones are made up of calcium—it helps create strength and structure. If your diet does not have enough calcium for your body’s needs (for example, it is also necessary to help your heart contract, keep digestive enzymes running, your blood to clot and your nervous system to function), then it will run out and their bones leach out. weaken them.

But the pathways through which calcium is absorbed can become saturated, like a bottleneck on a busy road. So if you eat a single calcium-rich meal containing more than 500mg (the amount in a large glass of milk), your body will absorb much less of it than if you ate small amounts throughout the day.

So what are the best resources? Milk, yogurt, quality cheese and sardines are fantastic. The sardine bones are particularly rich in calcium.

I also eat the ends of chicken wings: I crisp them up in the oven for a delicious and calcium-rich snack, with two wings providing around 400mg of the 700mg of calcium we need each day.

Those who eat plant-based foods need to be smarter.

Spinach and rhubarb provide calcium, but also contain oxalates, compounds that bind to calcium, making it less easily absorbed. The same mechanism is why foods such as nuts, seeds and whole grains that contain phytates are also not considered good sources of calcium. However, calcium-rich tofu (it says on the package), broccoli, kale and spring greens are good sources. However, if you are on a plant-based diet, I recommend that you also consume calcium-enriched plant-based milk.

Bone health is not just about calcium. You also need enough vitamin D, as several transporters that carry calcium across our intestines rely on vitamin D to function; Having enough vitamin D increases calcium absorption by about 50 percent.

Now to explain something about onions. These are a type of prebiotics – such as garlic, legumes, artichokes, dates and barley – that act as fertilizers, feeding the gut bacteria that make the gut a little more acidic, an environment that makes calcium more absorbable.

Prebiotics may also contribute to bone health in other ways. Gut bacteria break them down to produce short-chain fatty acids, which have been shown in animal studies to help regulate osteoclasts (the cells responsible for breaking down bone) and bone mass.

Onions specifically contain the flavonoids quercetin and kaempferol, which are believed to stimulate osteoblasts (the cells that form new bone).

A 2009 study published in the journal Menopause found that women over 50 who ate onions once or more a day had better bone density than women who ate onions once a month or less.

The researchers suggested that women who ate onions daily could reduce their risk of hip fracture by more than 20 percent compared to women who never ate onions. I’m not saying onions are a bone superfood, but research shows they can play an important supporting role (and sauteed with olive oil and a chopped date, they’re irresistible – see my recipe above).

Exercise is also good for bones, especially weight or strength training, as it applies a force that stimulates cells to form new bone in response. This includes running, brisk walking, aerobics or tennis, but climbing stairs can also help. Meanwhile, watch out for the bot saboteurs. One of the worst (apart from smoking, which slows down osteoblast activity) is the crash diet.

Diets lower than 1,000 calories a day can reduce bone density, and research from the University of Colorado in the US found that bone loss due to weight loss was not reversed once weight was regained.

So when trying to lose weight, opt for the slow and steady strategies, which also often lead to better long-term weight maintenance. And if you’re on a diet, continue to eat sources of calcium and protein.

Finally, let me dispel one myth – the idea that carbonated water removes calcium from your bones is not supported by science. You might even want a glass to wash down your crispy chicken tips.

Did you know?

Most people know that chocolate is poisonous to dogs. This is due to a chemical called theobromine, which increases heart rate and dilates blood vessels. Dogs cannot break down this chemical, so the effects are magnified, and the darker the chocolate, the more theobromine – and the greater the risk to dogs.

Megan asked

My mother has kidney problems, especially a lot of potassium. Are there foods that improve kidney function and reduce potassium (or foods to avoid)?

James law

Potassium is found in a number of foods and is important for maintaining a regular heartbeat, among hundreds of other functions.

Normally, your kidneys regulate your potassium levels no matter what you eat. Unfortunately, if they are not working properly, you will need to monitor your potassium intake.

Many healthy foods such as avocados, bananas, legumes, potatoes and plain yogurt are high in potassium. But that doesn’t mean your mum should skip it entirely – some cooking techniques, such as double boiling your potatoes (ie boil, change the water and boil again), will leach some of the potassium from certain vegetables, which can be harmful to you as a mum be a possibility to enjoy it regularly.

Instead, she should focus on avoiding otherwise nutrient-poor sources of potassium such as chips, milkshakes and processed meats. But it is important that she be referred to a nutritionist who can help develop a nutrition plan tailored to her needs and kidney function.

Try this: Halloumi Sprout Canape

Not a fan of Brussels sprouts? This caramelized onion recipe will change your mind—and it’s got the perfect prebiotics for you and your gut this Christmas.

Make 15 cocktail sticks

• 15 Brussels sprouts l
• ½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 80 g halloumi, cut into 5 slices
• 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
• 15 cocktail sticks

For the caramelized onions:

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 150 g red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 Medjool date, made into a paste (using the back of a spoon and 2 tablespoons of boiling water) or 1 tablespoon of sweetener of your choice

Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas mark 6. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Toss the Brussels sprouts in olive oil and season to taste, then spread on the baking sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until just cooked through and starting to change color.

Meanwhile, prepare the caramelized onions by heating 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat.

Add onion, balsamic vinegar and date paste. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring frequently, until sticky and caramelized.

Cook the halloumi for 1 minute on each side in a small pan over medium-high heat until golden brown.

To assemble, cut each halloumi slice into three pieces. Cut each sprout in half. Stick one half on the cocktail sticks, add some onion, then a piece of halloumi, then some more onion, a drop of mustard and cover with the other half of the sprout.