Eating for bone health. Here's what you need.

Although many of us may not think about the health of our bones, maintaining strong bones is just as important as keeping your muscles and organs healthy.

Your bones support your whole body; they provide an anchor for your muscles, tendons, ligaments, and connective tissues. Bones also provide structural support for your organs and enable your joints to remain mobile and flexible.

Exercise is a helpful way to improve and maintain your bone health and strength. But it’s not the only important thing to consider when it comes to the health of your bones and joints.

Your diet also plays a very important role in keeping your bones strong. In particular, there are three key micronutrients that play vital roles in bone turnover - calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D.

Calcium

Calcium is a mineral that is found in dairy products, green leafy vegetables, beans, legumes, tofu, fish, and nuts. It forms a major part of the bone and is found mostly bound to phosphorus in calcium-phosphate complexes. It enhances the strength of the bones and promotes a healthy rate of bone turnover.

Phosphorous

Alongside calcium, phosphorus forms a major component of bone. It aids calcium absorption and bone metabolism. You can find phosphorus in legumes, nuts, seeds, lean meats, and dairy products.

Around 85% of the total phosphorus in the body resides inside the bones and teeth. The remainder resides inside the cells and tissues.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D acts as a hormone in the body to promote calcium absorption and bone mineralization. You can find vitamin D in fortified breakfast cereals, mushrooms, fish, and dairy products.

Without sufficient vitamin D, your bones may not be able to effectively build new tissue and break down old tissue. Low vitamin D intake is associated with low bone mineral density (BMD).