Vegan 101: Building healthy bones on a plant-based diet

Leafy greens build healthy bones.

It’s not all about calcium. Many dietary and lifestyle factors affect bone health and in some cases vegans can have the edge. Here’s a recipe for vegans—or anyone else—for building healthy bones.

Get plenty of vitamin D: Theoretically, we should be able to make the vitamin D we need when skin is exposed to sun’s UV rays. In reality, a number of factors interfere with that process, so it’s wise to identify a dietary source of vitamin D. This isn’t a vegan issue. Most people—omnivores included—don’t have natural sources of vitamin D in their diet. That’s why cow’s milk is fortified with it. Soy, rice and almond milks are often fortified and so are many breakfast cereals and some juices. Look for vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol), which is derived from plants. Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) comes from animals. 

Eat foods rich in vitamin K. Studies show that vitamin K intake is linked to stronger bones. Since leafy green vegetables are by far the best source of vitamin K, vegans have an advantage. In fact, it can be hard to meet needs if these foods aren’t included in the diet. Anybody can eat leafy greens, of course, but many say that they never tried foods like collards and kale until they went vegan.

Include soyfoods in meals: The jury is still out on this one, but some research suggests that isoflavones, compounds that are essentially unique to soyfoods, have positive effects on bone health. And since there is also evidence—although it is hotly debated among nutritionists—that meat contributes to bone loss, replacing meat in the diet with soy-based veggie burgers or tofu might have a double advantage.

Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables: These foods contain potassium and other compounds that help keep blood from becoming too acidic. That in turn, slows release of calcium from bones and may keep them stronger.

Avoid excess sodium: Salty foods can speed up calcium losses from the body. Some experts believe that sodium intake is partially responsible for world-wide differences in bone health.

Get lots of exercise: Weight bearing exercise—ie, the type that causes some impact—is probably the single most important factor for building healthy bones.

Get enough calcium: It’s not the only thing that matters, but it does matter. Where vegans have been shown to have poorer bone health, it is usually, quite simply, because those who were studied had lower calcium intakes. Any diet—vegan or not—that doesn’t supply enough calcium (and this includes plenty of omnivore diets) will take a toll on bone health. Here are ideas for meeting calcium needs using healthful plant foods.