What you choose to eat matters to your health. Every system in your body requires certain essential nutrients for proper support, and a nutrient-rich diet is the best way to ensure your body gets what it needs. Proper nutrition is essential for bone health because bone is living tissue, and the structure changes as a normal part of aging. 

Getting these nutrients is easy and can be delicious too. Here are a few recipes that deliver bone-supporting nutrients and happy taste buds in every bite.

Something Light

Vitamin D is important for healthy bone metabolism and muscle strength. Mushrooms contain more vitamin D than many people realize and are a great way to help promote healthy bone density. While it is common knowledge that calcium helps build bones, many are unaware that calcium works very closely with vitamin D. 

Vitamin D is an essential vitamin that helps your body effectively absorb calcium, so combining these two nutrients is important for overall bone support. This delicious recipe is packed with both.

Spinach & Mushroom Quiche

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil 

8 ounces fresh mushrooms

1½ cups sliced sweet onion

1 tablespoon sliced garlic

6 large eggs 

¼ cup whole milk

¼ cup half-and-half

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 ½ cups shredded cheese

5 ounces baby spinach

1 tablespoon fresh thyme 

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. 

2. Coat a 9-inch pie pan with cooking spray, and set aside.

3. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, swirling to coat the pan. 

4. Slice, then add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender (8 minutes). 

5. Add the onion and garlic, and cook, stirring often until softened (about 5 minutes). 

6. Add the spinach and cook for 1 to 2 more minutes, constantly tossing until wilted.

7. Remove the mixture from the heat.

8. Whisk the eggs, milk, half-and-half, mustard, thyme, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. 

9. Fold in the mushroom mixture and cheese. Spoon into the prepared pie pan. 

10. Bake until set and golden brown, about 30 minutes. Garnish with thyme and serve.

You can also get the same nutrients and some warmth with this mushroom and spinach soup. 

Something Satisfying

With salmon, you get a healthy dose of vitamin D, while broccoli provides you with calcium. With this simple salmon recipe and the recipe below, you can get a few extra essential nutrients for bone health. The potassium in tomatoes helps to maintain healthy calcium levels in the body by reducing urinary calcium loss, and spinach delivers essential magnesium that promotes healthy bone density. 

Grilled Salmon, Tomatoes, Spinach, & Capers With Steamed Broccoli

Ingredients

4 salmon fillets

1 tablespoon olive oil 

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound tomatoes, chopped

3 ounces spinach

1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and drained

Lemon wedges

3 cups chopped broccoli

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Heat the oven to broil and lightly coat a large heat-resistant baking dish.

2. Place salmon in the dish, flesh side up, lightly season with salt and pepper, and broil without turning until salmon is cooked through 8 to 10 minutes.

3. In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. 

4. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 7 minutes. 

5. Stir in tomatoes, spinach, and capers, and cook for 2 minutes longer. 

6. Remove the pan from the heat.

7. Remove salmon from broiler and transfer to a plate. Spoon tomato mixture over salmon, squeeze lemon wedges over the top and serve warm with steamed broccoli.

Something Sweet

Just because something is sweet doesn’t mean it’s bad for you. You can satisfy your sweet tooth and still get nutrients that support bone health. It is no secret that nuts are nutritious, and pecans, in particular, have five nutrients that can help maintain healthy bone density. With calcium, magnesium, and potassium, you also get two powerful vitamins, C and E, to help reduce occasional oxidative stress for optimal bone support. There is no need to feel guilty about this delicious dessert.

Bone-Healthy Pecan Pie

Ingredients

1 cup almond flour

½ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon baking soda

Blueberries (or your choice of berries) 

3 egg whites

½ cup honey

1 cup pecans chopped

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a 9-inch pie pan.

2. Heat a frying pan over medium heat and add in the almond flour and cinnamon. 

3. Cook, stirring often, for about 8-10 minutes until the mixture is toasted. 

4. Set your pan aside to cool.

5. Next, separate three egg whites into a bowl and beat them until they start to stiffen.

6. When your egg whites start to stiffen, pour in the honey in three batches, making sure to beat well after each addition.

7. In another bowl, combine the toasted almond flour mixture, baking soda, and pecans.

8. Take your egg whites and gently fold them into the dry mixture.

9. Pour your mixture into the greased pie pan.

10. Place the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until your pie is lightly browned. 

11. Let it cool and serve with your choice of toppings!

Something Extra

A balanced diet full of nutrients is vital for promoting optimal bone health. Certain foods have the essential nutrients to support bone density, reduce the risk of occasional bone problems, and support overall well-being and mobility. In addition to diet, the scientifically-formulated proprietary supplement, OsteoMD^®, combines four bioavailable nutrients to promote skeletal strength. 

♦ Calzbone^® is a patented, standardized extract of Cissus quadrangularis that supports proper calcium utilization for optimal bone formation. 

♦ MenaQ7^® is the only clinically-studied form of vitamin K2 available on the market known to supply bone cells with the necessary nutrients to make the protein required for bone formation.

♦ Vitamin D3, more bioavailable than vitamin D2, helps promote calcium absorption and skeletal mineralization.

♦ Calcium Hydroxyapatite is a whole mineral form of calcium and the substance on which bone cells build bone that works with D3 to enhance bone mineralization.

Final Thoughts

The nutrients your bones and body need must come from food, so a daily routine that includes a balanced diet along with exercise and stress management is the best way to promote optimal bone health and mobility. These nutrient-rich recipes are a delicious place to start and for some extra bone support, add OsteoMD^® to your health routine. The path to strong bones starts here.

Dr. Adam Kreitenberg

Dr. Adam Kreitenberg is dual board-certified in both rheumatology and internal medicine. He completed his internal medicine internship, residency, and rheumatology fellowship at the University of Southern California and Los Angeles County Medical Center.