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Did you know that the wealth of vitamin K (122% daily value) found in green beans plays an important role in bone health?

Although calcium and vitamin D are often the nutrients highlighted in discussions on bone and prevention of bone-related disease, current research is increasingly revealing the importance of vitamin K. Although much of the research has focused on the K2 form of the vitamin, the K1 form found in greens beans has also been associated with better bone mineral density and decreased risk of bone-related diseases.

So, green beans can now join in with a variety of vegetables (including kale, spinach, collard greens and mustard greens) which are excellent sources of vitamin K1 and provide welcomed support for our bones. But the benefits of green beans do not stop here. They're also a rich source of other vitamins and minerals, many of which can act as powerful antioxidants that help combat the free radical activity associated with increased risk of both cancer and heart disease.

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Labels: bones, eating healthy, green beans, green leafy vegetables, Green veggies, healthy diet, Kale, spinach, strong bones, Vitamin K

Leafy green vegetables have a myriad of health benefits. When eaten raw they are one of the best sources of amino acids, which are the building blocks needed for protein in the body. Leafy greens are easy to digest, and they stimulate digestion by encouraging digestive enzymes. They also strengthen the immune system and provide needed nutrients required for proper hormone balance.

Though they pack a nutritional punch, leafy greens are extremely low in calories. 100 grams of spinach contains only 23 calories, but it also contains 188% of a person’s daily value of vitamin A and 604% of a person’s vitamin K. In general, leafy greens have numerous vitamins, including many B vitamins and vitamins C, E, and K. They are extremely rich sources of minerals, such as calcium, magnesium, iron, and potassium, and they also provide many phytonutrients, including beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin. Many greens even contain small amounts of Omega-3 fatty acids.

Greens are also packed with fiber. Fiber comes in two types, water-soluble and insoluble. Water-soluble fiber helps lower cholesterol levels and insoluble fiber promotes regularity, so fiber slows digestion and has little impact on blood glucose levels.

Other specific health benefits attributed to greens include:

Green	Purported Benefit
Cilantro	This pungent and spicy herb is also great for your eyes because of it’s lutein and zeaxanthin, which may prevent cataracts and age-related macular degeneration.
Collard Greens	A cross between cabbage and kale, collard greens are considered an anti-cancer food because of its cruciferous properties.
Kale	Three times as much calcium as phosphorus makes kale a great osteoporosis inhibitor. In addition to kale’s calcium, it is also one of the richest plant sources for vitamin K. Vitamin K is a fat soluble vitamin important to blood clotting; it also builds bones, slows bone loss, and heals fractures, all important to osteoporosis sufferers. In fact, one study showed people who had high vitamin K diets were less likely to suffer hip breaks than people eating low vitamin K diets.
Lettuces	There are a variety of lettuces you can enjoy. Besides supporting eye healthy, they enhance skin health and improve immune function.
Parsley	Parsley has many of the same health benefits as cilantro and kale. In addition, apigenin, which is an antioxidant flavonoid found in parsley, protects the prostate and may also reduce breast, colon, skin, and thyroid cancers.
Spinach	Nutrition Data notes spinach is a strong anti-inflammatory and rich iron source. However, it also contains oxalates, which may bind with the calcium and make the calcium unusable. To learn more, read Oxalates.
Swiss Chard	Similar to collard greens, swiss chard is a powerful anti-cancer food.

The good news about leafy greens is they are versatile and offer many healthful nutrients. Leafy greens are also a major source of chlorophyll and have become increasingly popular in things such as smoothies. They may be your best bet to preserve bone health because they have an excellent calcium and magnesium ratio.

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Labels: chlorophyll, cruciferous vegetables, eating healthy, green leafy vegetables, healthy diet, Kale, lutein, spinach, strong bones, swiss chard; greens

Although the evidence is strong that dairy-product consumption doesn't prevent osteoporosis, simply eliminating dairy products does not ensure strong bones.

It pays to put some thought into keeping your bones healthy. Studies have shown that the following factors are helpful in building and maintaining strong bones:

• Getting plenty of exercise. Studies have concluded that physical exercise is the key to building strong bones (it's more important than any other factor). For example, a study published in the British Medical Journal that followed 1,400 men and women over a 15-year period found that exercise may be the best protection against hip fractures and that "reduced intake of dietary calcium does not seem to be a risk factor." And Penn State University researchers found that bone density is significantly affected by how much exercise girls get during their teen years, when 40 to 50 percent of their skeletal mass is formed.

• Getting enough vitamin D. If you don't spend any time in the sun (about 15 minutes on the face and arms each day is enough), be sure to take a supplement or eat fortified foods.

• Eliminating animal protein. For a variety of reasons, animal protein causes severe bone deterioration.

• Limiting salt intake. Sodium leaches calcium out of the bones.

• Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables. They contain vitamin C, which is essential for building collagen, the underlying bonematrix.

• Not smoking. Studies have shown that women who smoke one pack of cigarettes a day have 5 to 10 percent less bone density at menopause than nonsmokers.

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Labels: bones, Dairy, exercise, fruits and veggies, healthy diet, milk, osteoporosis, strong bones, Vitamin D

Vitamin D

This fat-soluble vitamin is clutch--your bones can't absorb calcium as well without it.

Great sources:
3.5 oz salmon = 360 IU
1.75 oz sardines = 250 IU
4 oz shrimp = 172 IU
8 oz D-fortified milk or orange juice = 100 IU

Vitamin K

You don't hear much about vitamin K, though vitamin K isn't a direct bone-builder, it does enable certain bone forming proteins to do their job, says Sarah Booth, Ph.D., director of the Vitamin K Laboratory at Tufts University in Boston.

Great sources
1 cup kale = 547 mcg
1 cup broccoli = 420 mcg
1 cup Swiss chard = 299 mcg
1 cup spinach = 120 mcg

Potassium

It's already linked to lower blood pressure, and now, a recent study has found, potassium may also neutralize acids that suck calcium out of the body, making it a skeleton saver, too.

Great sources
1 sweet potato = 694 mg
1 white potato with skin = 610 mg
8 oz plain nonfat yogurt = 579 mg
1 medium-size banana = 422 mg

Labels: bones, healthy diet, potassium, strong bones, Vitamin D, Vitamin K