Diet and key bone-building nutrients play a critical role in healing broken bones but it also is important to build your bone’s strength so if you do have a fall, you are less likely to fracture your bones.

You need a lot of minerals, especially calcium and magnesium but you also need Zinc and Vitamin C.

Here is our Bone-Building Diet:

Calcium

An essential structural component of the skeleton, which makes it vital for both health and bone healing. That’s why a calcium deficiency can contribute to broken bones — and why eating more calcium foods can aid bone healing naturally.

Calcium-rich Foods 

The best sources of calcium are green leafy vegetables and raw fermented dairy products. So make sure you are getting a lot of leafy greens as well as broccoli. Foods packed with calcium — the main mineral that helps make up strong bones — include:

  • Kale
  • Spinach
  • Arugula
  • Yogurt or kefir
  • Raw milk
  • Sardines

Magnesium

In order for your body to even use calcium, you also have to have magnesium because research shows magnesium and calcium metabolism are closely related. In fact, “the intestinal absorption and the renal excretion of the two ions are interdependent.”So in order to get the benefits of calcium-rich foods, you need to consume magnesium-rich foods as well.

Magnesium-rich Foods 

Some high-calcium foods are also high in magnesium, such as green leafy vegetables and raw fermented dairy products like goat milk kefir or raw goat cheese. Other magnesium foods include:

  • Flaxseeds, chia seeds and pumpkin seeds
  • Grass-fed beef
  • Swiss chard
  • Almonds
  • Avocados
  • Black beans

Zinc

You also want to consume foods that are high in zinc. Zinc has been shown to grow and repair body tissues.

Research shows zinc supplementation can stimulate fracture healing. (3) Zinc is a mineral that’s essential for good health.

Zinc-rich Foods

Zinc foods are similar to calcium and magnesium foods.

  • Grass-fed beef
  • Shellfish
  • Legumes
  • Nuts (pine nuts, peanuts, cashews and almonds)
  • Pumpkin seeds
  • Chia seeds
  • Flaxseeds

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin that’s found in many foods, particularly fruits and vegetables. It’s vital for collagen synthesis, connective tissue, bones, and teeth. 

Many studies tout the benefits of vitamin C on bone healing. Researchers found that vitamin C “improved the mechanical resistance of the fracture callus in elderly rats.” (4) They suggested that this may work as well in healing bone fractures in elderly humans.

Vitamin C-rich Foods

Foods rich in Vitamin C include vegetable and orange juices as well as:

  • Oranges
  • Lemons
  • Bell peppers
  • Kiwis
  • Broccoli
  • Asparagus

Foods to Avoid

You want to stay away from foods that tend to be overly acidic which will acidify your body and actually leach those minerals out of your body and cause your bone healing and growth to slow down. Other foods to avoid:

  • Processed foods
  • Conventional meat
  • Processed dairy products
  • Excess Sodium
  • Processed sugar
  • Alcohol

Conclusion

Your diet should consist of a lot of veggies, some fruit, some organic meat, and some nuts and seeds. When you are trying to heal your bones, these items should be the bulk of your diet. It’s essential to get a high amount of these nutrients for building strong bones.