Which foods should be eaten to maximise bone mass and maintain strong, healthy bones?
Susan Walker, by e-mail When it comes to bones, prevention is certainly better than cure. The stronger the bones are to start with the less likely you are to suffer from debilitating conditions such as osteoporosis. Starting early in life is the best strategy, because our body only lays down new bone until we are 20 or so. After that the bones start to lose their density, and for women this decline becomes more marked at menopause. With our kids we should concentrate on building a good bone base, so that they have more cushioning to fall back on. Calcium is the first key nutrient. The best sources of calcium are dairy products; leafy green vegetables such as curly kale, spinach, and winter greens; small-boned fish such as sardines and pilchards; goat’s milk, sheep’s milk, fortified soya milk and breakfast cereals; pumpkin and sesame seeds; tahini (which goes into hoummos); nuts such as almonds; and dried fruits such as figs. If you have a high level of cholesterol, you may feel you sho
