When it comes to thinking about how food affects our health we usually think of weight gain and fatty foods that affect our heart and arteries, among other things. We generally don’t assume that what we eat will affect our bones. However, there are foods that will weaken your bones, prevent proper mineral assimilation to keep them strong and therefore increase the risk of osteoporosis, which women are already at a risk of developing. Read on to find out which foods to avoid so that you keep your bones healthy. 
Salt can do a lot of damage to bones as it drains the calcium from then which makes them weaker over time. Most post menopausal women, with a diet that is high in salt lose more minerals from their bones than other women the same age. 
Soft drinks and soda drinks contain an ingredient called phosphoric acid, which actually increases the amount of calcium that is expelled from the body in urine. Increase your intake of milk which contains calcium and cut out soft drinks. 
Most fatty foods contain hydrogenated vegetable oils, such as margarine. However, when these are solidified they create trans fats, which are bad for the heart, and destroys the vitamin K which your bones need to stay strong and healthy. 
Caffeine’s effect on the bones is similar to that of salt, but not to the same high extent. However, every cup of coffee you have depletes your levels of calcium. Although tea also contains caffeine it is believed to help the bone density in older women. 
Alcohol blocks the calcium that you have eaten throughout the day from being absorbed. Drinking alcohol prevents the bones from being kept strong and meddles with the remodelling process of the bones by not allowing the bone building cells from doing their job. 
Although soy products are full of protein which help to build the bones and keep them strong, they also contain a compound which is plant based which prevents the proper absorption of calcium. These plant compounds are known as oxalates and they combine together with the calcium, stopping it from being available to the body.
Flora McCraith, MSN, 23/05/2011
