This Clean Eating Habit Could Be Detrimental To Your Bone Health

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Going dairy-free is a big choice, whether it’s because you have a legitimate intolerance or “just because.” No matter your reasoning, it’s important to consider how the dietary change has the potential to impact your body. Unfortunately, many who go dairy-free often overlook a major consequence of cutting the food group for good: bone health.

We know what you’re thinking: Ugh, I’m too young to worry about my bones. They’re fiiiiiiine, to which we respond: wrong answer.

The U.K.’s National Osteoperosis Society recently found that four out of 10 people between the ages of 18 and 24 have tried a clean-eating diet that involves cutting back on dairy. This data isn’t surprising in the context of a poll from the Food Standards Agency that found that 46 percent of 18 to 24-year-olds claim to have some level of intolerance to dairy.

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Clean eating definitely has its pros — saying goodbye to refined sugars and processed foods is certainly a plus — but if you’re considering cutting out dairy, you may be forgetting one thing: you still need calcium.

In an interview with the BBC, Professor and National Osteoporosis Society clinical advisor Susan Lanham-New said that while the clean eating trend has benefits, younger people are forgetting to incorporate other forms of calcium into their diet that dairy would fulfill. Without enough calcium in your diet in your 20s, she said, you could be at a much greater risk of developing osteoporosis later in life.

“Diet in early adulthood is so important because by the time we get into our late 20s it is too late to reverse the damage caused by poor diet and nutrient deficiencies and the opportunity to build strong bones has passed,” Lanham-New said.

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She urges young people with dairy-free diets to get enough calcium each day, and thankfully, you don’t need dairy to do it. Leafy greens, broccoli, figs, salmon and white beans are just a few good natural sources of calcium, and there are a variety of calcium supplement vitamins you can take daily to ensure your bones are as healthy as possible.

By all means, avoid foods you have a clear intolerance to. But don’t mess with your bone health. Get that calcium like it’s your job, and your body will thank you later.