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Good food for bones, muscles and joints
Your bones, muscles and joints must be in top condition to function properly. You help them by exercising enough, but also by putting the right food on the table. This food helps to keep muscles, bones and joints healthy.
The glue of your body
Few people know, but vitamin C is very important for your bones, muscles and joints. If you get too little of it, it can result in a vitamin C deficiency. And that is disastrous for your musculoskeletal system. Too little vitamin C causes collagen to break down. This is a protein that is naturally present in the skin and is additionally swallowed, lubricated or injected by many people to prevent skin aging. But collagen may be even more important for your bones, muscles and joints; it’s not called ‘the glue of your body’ for nothing. It contains glycerin, which provides the muscles with sufficient nutrition. It is also found in bones and cartilage, strengthening the latter. This protein prevents your bones from becoming brittle and strengthens your tendons and the ligaments that stabilize your joints.
Vitamin C
As mentioned, collagen needs vitamin C to work properly and to stimulate its production. The recommended daily amount of vitamin C for men and women over the age of 14 is 75 milligrams. Vitamin C is found in fruits, vegetables and potatoes, especially in cabbages, citrus fruits, kiwis, berries and strawberries. To retain as much vitamin C as possible, it is important to cook vegetables in little water, and for no longer than necessary. It also helps not to cut vegetables too small. Collagen itself is mainly found in animal products and mainly in the parts that we used to eat, but nowadays usually no longer: bones, bone marrow, skin or tendons. That’s why it’s in bone broth. You can also eat eggshell membrane (the thin membrane that you see around a boiled egg when you peel it) and it is rich in collagen.
Tip: we have listed where the most vitamin C is.
Omega-3 fatty acids
If you eat fatty fish on a weekly basis – salmon, mackerel, sardines, tuna and herring – you get a good amount of omega-3 fatty acids. Shellfish and crustaceans also contain a fair amount of omega-3. Eggs and some meats provide omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). These polyunsaturated fatty acids are particularly known for protecting against cardiovascular disease, but they also help limit inflammation. Many people with joint pain, rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis say they benefit. Incidentally, there are also vegetable sources of omega-3 fatty acids; think of green leafy vegetables, legumes and nuts and seeds.
Sulforaphane
sulforaphane is a nutrient that scientists suspect slows the destruction of cartilage in joints and reduces cartilage damage. This has already been demonstrated in mice. Sulforaphane can be found in vegetables from the cruciferous family such as Brussels sprouts and cabbage, but especially in broccoli. It blocks the enzymes that cause joint destruction by stopping a key molecule that causes inflammation.
MSM
MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) is an organic sulfur compound that has a relieving effect in joint complaints. Sulfur deficiency manifests itself in painful muscles and joints, fragile hair and nails and headaches. MSM is naturally present in your body and in fresh fruit and raw vegetables. It is a volatile substance, so it disappears easily when you cook vegetables or keep them too long. The natural source with the most MSM in otherwise breast milk.
Calcium and Vitamin D
The best-known nutrient for strong bones is, of course, calcium. What less people know is that this mineral is also necessary for the proper functioning of your muscles and proper functioning of your nerves. It is mainly found in milk, milk products, cheese, vegetables, nuts and legumes. Vitamin D ensures that the intestines absorb calcium well and is necessary to fix the calcium in the bones. That is also the reason that women over 50 and men over 70 are advised to take this vitamin. The recommended daily amount of calcium for men between the ages of 29 and 69 and for women between the ages of 25 and 50 is 950 milligrams.
Oxalic acid reduces the absorption of calcium in the body. It is found in vegetables such as rhubarb and spinach. The substance phytic acid also counteracts the absorption of calcium. This is mainly in grains. If you eat a healthy and varied diet, the amounts in these products are not a problem. But if you already have joint or muscle complaints, make sure that it is not on the menu too often.
Plant-based food
In any case, the above shows that fresh, healthy and varied food, with an emphasis on plant-based foods, actually does a lot to support bones, muscles and joints. “You should eat a lot of vegetables with joint complaints,” agrees rheumatologist Dirk Jan van Schaardenburg, who conducts research on people with osteoarthritis and rheumatic complaints. “A lot of vegetables, fruit and fibers and less animal food and industrially processed products.” In the podcast below we talk to him about the latest developments and the influence of diet and lifestyle on rheumatism and joint complaints.