Bad to the Bone: Three foods that can be bad for your bones

Did you know that some foods contribute to bone degeneration? Yes, these nutritional tricksters interfere with the body’s ability to absorb calcium, which is essential for the development and strengthening of bones. Even worse, the foods that affect bone health can lead to bone disease later in life. Here are three food types that you’ll want to keep an eye on… as they are bad to the bone.

• Salty Foods: According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, salty foods can interfere with calcium uptake and incorporation into bone. Processed foods are a common culprit. Be a label watcher and avoid products containing 20 percent or more of the recommended daily allowance of sodium.
• Alcohol and Caffeine: Here are yet more reasons to watch your consumption of these two beverages. Excessive alcohol – more than two drinks a day – appears to lower the supply of calcium in the body. And when it comes to caffeinated coffee or tea draw the line at two cups per day as excessive consumption may decrease calcium absorption. Also, keep your cola beverage consumption in check. Interestingly, research shows that the hops in beer and the nutrient Resveratrol, present in wine, may improve bone strength.
• Fast Foods: High in fat, sodium and sugar, fast foods don’t do your bones any favors. According to WomenFitness.net, they contribute to bone loss. What’s more, soft drink loving teenage girls are particularly at risk for developing osteoporosis later on, as the body builds 40 – 60 percent of its bone mass during the teen years.