We know Junk Food can make us fat, cause type 2 diabetes and increase our risk of heart disease. But did you know that junk food and over-processed foods can also potentially cause osteoporosis arthritis?
According to research from Ron Zernicke of the University of Michigan’s School of Kinesiology and Cy Frank of the Alberta Bone and Joint Health Institution, excess sugar and fat could weaken the bones and lead to osteoporosis, an ailment characterized by brittle bone
- Junk food marked by high saturated fat and sugar intake can prevent calcium absorption
- These fats also create a sort of soap or barrier on the inside of the intestines, further blocking the absorption of essential nutrients
- Sugar and fat are not the only culprits, table salt, used in excess in the average diet, causes calcium loss. For every single teaspoon of salt consumed, 40 mg of calcium is lost through urine
- Caffeine is directly responsible for decreased calcium too. It is researched that every 100 mg of caffeine you take in, 6 mg of calcium is lost. For reference, the average cup of brewed coffee contains anywhere from 95 to 200 mg of caffeine. Prefer to switch or decaf coffee as a better health alternative
- The sweetened carbonated drinks like Cola lead to significant reduction in bone mineral density and an increase in risk of fracture. It impacts proper calcium absorption due to their high sugar content and presence of phosphoric acid, both of which impeded intestinal calcium absorption.
Doctors say osteoarthritis is the most prevalent form of arthritis in India, affecting over 15 million adults every year.
India may become the osteoarthritis capital of the world with over 60 million cases by 2025.
Don’t try to beat your bone destruction by popping supplements. Instead, swap your energy drink for green tea, your potato chips for roasted chick peas, and your candy for fruit. Leafy green vegetables are loaded with calcium (and a whole lot of other good things).
Changing your long-term health outcome begins with small but significant steps. And it begins now.
