The #1 Best Drink for Keeping Your Bones from Aging, Says Dietitian
Aging is inevitable; and as you age, so do your bones. There are many nutrients that are important to focus on when trying to maintain healthy bones. For years, milk has been the staple association for strong bones. Although that still ranks as a fan favorite because of the heavy amount of calcium, there are actually more noteworthy nutrients dietitians recommend to protect aging bones.
According to our medical expert Lauren Manaker, MS, RDN, LDN, CLEC, CPT, author of The First Time Mom's Pregnancy Cookbook and Fueling Male Fertility, other noteworthy nutrients include vitamin K, boron, magnesium, and potassium.
With that being said, Manaker says the best drinks you can have to help keep your bones from aging involve prunes.
"Data shows that adequate vitamin K may increase bone mineral density and potassium may reduce calcium loss from the bones," says Manaker. "Prunes also have phenolic compounds, which may block bone resorption and support bone formation."
Research continues to show the benefits of eating prunes for bone health. In one study from the British Journal of Nutrition, postmenopausal women who ate 50 grams of prunes every day (which is about 5 or 6 prunes) had a significantly increased bone mineral density compared to those who did not eat the prunes. Prune eaters also showed significantly decreased serum levels of bone turnover markers.
Another study published in Nutrients suggests that men's bone health may benefit from eating prunes, too. Men who ate either 100 grams or 50 grams of prunes for three months had a positive effect on their bone turnover.
"Eating prunes on a consistent basis may help prevent bone loss, especially among the aging population," says Manaker. "To support bone health, sipping on a prune smoothie can be a refreshing, naturally sweet, and bone health-supporting drink that is chock-full of important nutrients, phenolic compounds, fiber, and no added sugar. A perfect combo for bone health support."
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Prunes have a taste similar to a plum, including a delightful concentrated sweetness brought out by the drying process, meaning that it's a great fruit to mix with.
You can add prunes to smoothies in many ways, so your drinks never get boring.
"From a banana, almond, and prune combo, to a green smoothie made with prunes, kale, banana, and milk concoction, there are no hard-and-fast rules when making a prune smoothie," says Manaker.
Strengthen your bones with this smoothie combo!
If you want to try one of Lauren Manaker's favorite prune smoothie recipes, she's provided us with ingredients and instructions on what you need and how to make it:
Here's what you'll need:
- 4-5 Sunsweet pitted prunes
- 1 previously frozen banana
- 3/4 cup vanilla almond milk
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 tablespoon natural almond butter
- 1/2 cup ice
Here's how to make it:
Place all ingredients into a high-powered blender and blend until combined. Pour into a glass and enjoy!
For more healthy bone tips, make sure to check out The #1 Best Diet for Stronger Bones, Says New Study.
