Nutrition for Bone Health: How to Build and Keep Strong Bones

Written by Robbie Clark, BExSc (Nutrition), M (Nutr+Diet), Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD) and Exercise Scientist · Last updated 19 October 2026 · 6 references

Strong bones support you for life, and what you eat plays a big part in building and keeping them. Here's how nutrition affects your bones at every age, the key nutrients to focus on, and the habits that can work against you.

How does bone change through life?

Bone is living tissue that's constantly being broken down and rebuilt. During childhood and the teenage years, you build bone fast. Late childhood and puberty are the most important time for building bone, and calcium and physical activity have the strongest evidence for helping.¹

Most people reach their peak bone mass by around 30. After that, you gradually stop adding bone, and from middle age you slowly start to lose it. Women lose bone faster after menopause. The stronger your bones are at their peak, and the more slowly you lose bone afterwards, the lower your risk of osteoporosis later in life.

How much calcium do you need for strong bones?

Calcium is the main building block of bone, and almost all of your body's calcium is stored in your bones. The recommended daily intake is:⁵

• Men 19–70: 1,000 mg
• Women 19–50 (including during pregnancy and breastfeeding): 1,000 mg
• Women 51–70: 1,300 mg
• Everyone over 70: 1,300 mg

Good sources include:⁵

• Milk: about 300 mg per cup
• Yoghurt: about 300 mg per 200 g tub
• Cheese
• Canned salmon or sardines with bones: about 310 mg per half cup of salmon
• Calcium-set tofu
• Calcium-fortified plant milks (check the label)
• Broccoli, kale, almonds and legumes, which provide smaller amounts

Spinach contains calcium, but only about 5% of it is absorbed, so it isn't a good source.⁵

Why is vitamin D important for bones?

Without enough vitamin D, your body can't absorb calcium well. Most vitamin D comes from sunlight on your skin, so people who rarely go outside or cover up completely are more at risk of low levels.⁵ Follow SunSmart advice to balance sun exposure with skin cancer risk. Few foods contain much vitamin D, but oily fish, eggs, UV-exposed mushrooms and fortified foods help.

In trials, calcium and vitamin D supplements taken together lowered the risk of fractures by about 15%, and hip fractures by about 30%.² If you're worried you're not getting enough, ask your doctor whether a test or supplement is right for you.

What other nutrients support bone health?

• Protein makes up part of your bone structure and helps with fracture healing. Low protein intake is a risk factor for weak bones.⁶ Good sources include lean meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, legumes, tofu, nuts and seeds.
• Vitamin K helps your body build bone. Find it in dark leafy greens, Brussels sprouts, broccoli and parsley.
• Vitamin C is needed to make collagen, the main protein in bone. Find it in citrus fruit, berries, capsicum, tomatoes and other vegetables.
• Magnesium is stored in bone and helps with calcium use. Find it in leafy greens, legumes, nuts, seeds and wholegrains.

Rather than focusing on a single nutrient, aim for a varied diet with plenty of vegetables, fruit, wholegrains, dairy or alternatives, and protein foods.

What can weaken your bones?

• Smoking is linked with lower bone mass and a higher risk of osteoporosis.⁶
• Too much alcohol. To protect your bones, stick to no more than 2 standard drinks a day.⁶
• Lots of caffeine. More than 4 caffeinated drinks a day, like coffee, cola or energy drinks, can increase calcium loss.⁵
• Cola. In one large study, older women who drank cola daily had lower hip bone density than those who rarely drank it. Other soft drinks weren't linked.⁴
• A high-salt diet can increase how much calcium you lose in your urine.⁵
• Very low body weight, which is a risk factor for bone loss.⁵
• Inactivity. Bones need regular load to stay strong.⁵
• Some medicines, particularly corticosteroids like prednisolone, and some cancer treatments.⁶ Don't stop any prescribed medicine without talking to your doctor. Ask them how to protect your bones instead.

What exercise is best for your bones?

Weight-bearing activity, like walking, jogging, dancing or stair climbing, and strength training help build and keep bone. Balance exercises reduce your risk of falls.⁵

Even if you already have low bone density, the right exercise can help. In an Australian trial, postmenopausal women with low bone mass who did supervised high-intensity strength and impact training twice a week for eight months improved their bone density, while those doing low-intensity home exercise lost bone.³ If you have low bone density, get advice from a practitioner such as an exercise physiologist about what's safe for you.

Frequently asked questions

What foods are best for strong bones?

Dairy foods, canned fish with bones, calcium-set tofu and calcium-fortified plant milks are the richest sources of calcium.⁵

How much calcium do I need a day?

1,000 mg for most adults, and 1,300 mg for women over 50 and everyone over 70.⁵

Is spinach a good source of calcium?

No. Only about 5% of the calcium in spinach is absorbed.⁵

Can you rebuild bone density?

Supervised strength and impact training improved bone density in women with low bone mass in one trial.³ Talk to your doctor about the right approach for you.

Do soft drinks weaken bones?

Cola was linked with lower hip bone density in older women, but other soft drinks weren't.⁴

References

Research

1. Weaver CM, Gordon CM, Janz KF, et al. The National Osteoporosis Foundation's position statement on peak bone mass development and lifestyle factors: a systematic review and implementation recommendations. Osteoporos Int. 2016;27(4):1281–1386. PubMed 26856587
2. Weaver CM, Alexander DD, Boushey CJ, et al. Calcium plus vitamin D supplementation and risk of fractures: an updated meta-analysis from the National Osteoporosis Foundation. Osteoporos Int. 2016;27(1):367–376. PubMed 26510847
3. Watson SL, Weeks BK, Weis LJ, et al. High-intensity resistance and impact training improves bone mineral density and physical function in postmenopausal women with osteopenia and osteoporosis: the LIFTMOR randomized controlled trial. J Bone Miner Res. 2018;33(2):211–220. View source
4. Tucker KL, Morita K, Qiao N, et al. Colas, but not other carbonated beverages, are associated with low bone mineral density in older women: the Framingham Osteoporosis Study. Am J Clin Nutr. 2006;84(4):936–942. View source

Australian guidelines

5. Better Health Channel (Victorian Government). Calcium. View source
6. healthdirect. Osteoporosis. View source

This article is general information, not medical advice. Speak with your doctor or practitioner about your bone health.