According to a recent study, eating dairy might be very beneficial to our health, especially as we age. Why? Staying mobile helps the body remain youthful, and for that, strong bones are essential. In order to keep our bones strong, we must consume the right nutrients, and many of those are available in dairy.
Although physiological changes are inevitable as we age, there’s no doubt that a health, well balanced diet can keep bones strong, helping us stay active well beyond middle age. Obviously, nutrition is one of the most important factors when it comes to preventing changes in body composition and cognitive decline.
“The processes of aging and metabolism are intricately linked,” explain nutrition professors Sydeena Isaacs, Ph.D. and Laurel Wentz, Ph.D. in a recent scientific analysis of the best foods for healthy aging. “Energy is required to sustain the body’s functions, including involuntary functions such as respiration and circulation as well as the energy needed for physical work,” they found, explaining that these daily energy requirements can be reached by consuming adequate protein, carbohydrates, and fats—all of which are necessary for strong bones and greater mobility.
How does bone health impact mobility? First, we need to understand bone composition. “Bone is a complex structure comprised of protein, collagen, and minerals whose health can’t be reduced to single nutrients, especially considering the important contribution of genetics and exercise to bone mass and strength,” Wentz and Isaacs say. “In contrast to the view of bone as a static mineral, it is a living tissue with regular intervals of remodeling. Bone formation is coupled with bone resorption, as osteoblasts build bone at the same rate that osteoclasts resorb bone. This process is highly regulated and allows the ability to repair bone injury, respond to stress, and maintain calcium homeostasis.”
Simply put, our bones are always changing. But as we age, our bones lose more minerals than they absorb, which in turn increases the risk of fractures. “While adolescence is the period of peak bone mass accumulation, older adulthood is characterized by declining bone mineral density,” the study states. In order to replace these lost minerals, it’s suggested we consume more foods that “contain a mixture of nutrients” as we mature. “It is recommended to consume the recommended daily allowance of calcium of 1,000 to 1,200 mg per day from dietary sources,” Isaacs and Wentz find.
Dairy foods meet many of these requirements. “Examples of foods to meet recommendations include milk, yogurt, and cheese,” the study states, noting that dairy “provides protein, vitamin D, vitamin K, magnesium, and potassium, all of which have a role in bone health.”
While we all know minerals like calcium are important for bone health, other vitamins are also essential. For example, vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is synthesized in the skin when it is exposed to the sun’s rays, helping to regulate bone homeostasis. Adults who have little exposure to sunlight and do not consume the right foods are more at risk for vitamin D deficiency, which can lead to imbalanced hormones, fatigue, moodiness, muscle aches, and decreased bone strength. Not many foods contain vitamin D, but milk is frequently filled with the nutrient. “Since dietary sources [of vitamin D] are limited, vitamin D is fortified in milk to improve calcium absorption,” the study states.
Increasing your dairy consumption should be done thoughtfully—the key is to choose the healthiest options for maximum results. White cheeses such as Oaxaca, feta, ricotta, cottage, and mozzarella tend to be made with part-skim milk and therefore are considered some of the best choices. “These have a higher protein content and less fat,” says nutritionist Mariana Pérez Trejo Soltwedel. Similarly, 1% or skim milk contains less fat than full-fat or regular milk, while plain yogurt, Greek yogurt, and kefir are good sources of protein and have the added benefit of containing gut-healthy probiotics.
However, if dairy doesn’t suit your digestive system, there are plenty of nutrient-rich alternatives. For example, the study also notes that “dark leafy greens, almonds, tofu, beans and some plant-based milks” are also good sources of bone-strengthening calcium, protein, vitamin D, vitamin K, magnesium, and potassium as well.
Managing the physiological changes related to aging is all about understanding the importance of nutrition. “Given the right attitude and a healthy diet, we can adopt strategies that facilitate high quality of life into our golden years,” Wentz and Isaacs note. “Nutrition is well recognized as one major determinant of healthy aging and a key factor in disease risk and functional status.”
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