Bone Up on Phosphorus

May is Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention month, so it may be a good time to take a look at the things you can do to keep your knee bone connected to the leg bone, and...well, you know how that one goes.
 
This just in for all of the people on the planet who may have missed the memo—soft drinks are bad for your bones...and your skin and your weight and everything else. All joking aside, research has shown that excessive intake of phosphates—the mineral used to make soda—can suck calcium from your bones. At the same time, too little phosphorous in your diet can also lead to osteoporosis.
 
So, how do you come to terms with this double-edged sword and live a healthier life? Here's some tips from NutritionData’s chief nutritionist, Monica Reinagel. Follow them, and your fibia and tibia will love you in no time flat:
 
1. Be sure to get the daily recommended amount of calcium (1,000 to 1,500mg from diet and supplements.)
 
2. Make sure your diet contains the recommended amount of phosphorus (700mg for adults), especially if you are over 60. You will find the mineral in a wide selection of foods, like low-fat dairy products, lean red meat, fish and poultry.
 
3. Don’t over do it. A diet that is very high in either calcium or phosphorus will increase your requirement for the other.
 
4. If you take calcium supplements, consider using a form of calcium that contains phosphorus, such as tricalcium phosphate. [Nutrition Data]