Nutrition for Broken Bones: Healing Bone Fractures with Food

Healing Broken Bones

Broken bones are natural healers. They will make new cells and small blood vessels at the break until it is cured. To help speed up the healing process, proper nutrition for broken bones is necessary. Eating a well balanced diet that contains all essential nutrients is important.

The following are nutrients (and foods) that are especially helpful for bone health and foods (“bone robbers”) that should be avoided.

Nutrients to Promote Bone Healing

Calcium

Calcium is the most well known nutrient for bone health. About 99% of the calcium in the body is in the bones and teeth.

The 1% amount of calcium in the blood is not influenced by the amount ingested. If there is too much, the excess is excreted through the urine. If there is too little, a “mineral bank” is available in the bones. In other words, if you do not eat enough calcium, your blood will take it from your bones. This is why it is important to eat foods high in calcium, especially while healing a broken bone.

Foods include milk (fat-free or low-fat), calcium fortified orange juice, sardines (with bones), salmon, tofu, and blackstrap molasses.

Phosphorus

About 85% of phosphorus in the body is combined with calcium in the crystals of the bones and teeth as calcium phosphate, the chief compound that gives them strength and rigidity.

Most foods contain phosphorus. Lean meat and fish are especially helpful sources of phosphorus for bone health.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D increases the blood level of calcium and phosphorus.

Food sources include salmon, shrimp, tuna, and egg yolk. Exposing your arms and face (without sunscreen) to the sun’s rays for a few minutes (each day) will make vitamin D from cholesterol.

Lysine

According to research, lysine increases the amount of calcium being absorbed into the matrix of the bone.

Most foods high in protein are high in lysine. This includes poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy products (fat-free or low-fat). Other foods include kidney beans, peanuts, sesame seeds, apples, and spinach.

Boron

Boron plays a role in healing broken bones by reducing urinary excretion of both calcium and magnesium.

Foods include raisins, avocados, walnuts, lentils, red grapes, and celery.

Vitamin C and Zinc

Vitamin C is needed to make collagen and zinc is also important for tissue repair.

Foods high in vitamin C include citrus fruits, broccoli, tomato, papaya, and kiwi.

Foods high in zinc include spinach, sea vegetables, pumpkin seeds, collard greens, and broccoli.

Other important nutrients/foods include:

• magnesium (spinach, summer squash, halibut, broccoli, celery, sesame seeds)
• vitamin K (parsley, spinach, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale)
• silica (outer coverings of potatoes, cucumbers, and green and red peppers).

Foods to Avoid

Proper nutrition for broken bones also involves avoiding foods that can rob the bones of important nutrients. This includes sugar, salt, hydrogenated oils (found in many processed foods), red meat, whole milk, caffeine (including chocolate), soft drinks and other carbonated drinks, and alcohol.

If you smoke, quit. Cigarette smoke is loaded with toxic chemicals that can damage the cells needed for bone formation.

Sources Used

https://www.foodandlife.com/healingbonesresearch.htm

https://www.mybrokenleg.com/tips.html

Photo Credit

Image courtesy of the National Institute of Health.