Mediterranean Diet Linked to Stronger Bones

New fad diets seem to appear on a monthly, sometimes weekly, basis. Most, however, die off after the general public has experimented with them. But there's one diet that remains strong: the Mediterranean diet. And researchers are now saying that people who follow this diet could benefit from having stronger bones.

The Mediterranean diet is based on the consumption of vegetables, fruits, nuts, legumes, peas, grains, olive oil and fish -- foods and ingredients that are commonly consumed in residents in Italy and surrounding regions. The diet also limits the intake of dairy, meat and saturated fat, while giving greater freedom to the consumption of red wine

So, does the Mediterranean diet really offer benefits in terms of bone strength? Some researchers seem to think so. In a study published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine, researchers analyzed data from some 40 medical centers in the United States, consisting of approximately 90,014 women of various ages. Researchers compared the nutritional intake of the study's participants to those of the Mediterranean diet, the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), and several others.

Researchers discovered that participants who followed the Mediterranean diet were 0.29% less likely to suffer from a hip fracture than participants who chose a different diet -- or participants that did not properly follow the Mediterranean diet.

"Our results provide assurance that widely recommended eating patterns do not increase the risk of fractures," said Dr. Bernhard Haring of the University of Wurzburg in Germany, the study's lead author. "This being said, the average woman should follow a healthy lifestyle which includes adopting a healthy dietary pattern and being physically active."

Of course, there are other ways to promote strong bones besides following the Mediterranean diet. Including more calcium in your diet, for instance, will promote strong bones. Calcium is arguably one of the most influential nutrients in determining bone strength and overall health. The Institute of Medicine recommends adults get 1,000 mg of calcium per day, limiting their intake to no more than 2,000 mg per day.

In addition to calcium, you should also check you intake of vitamin D. While calcium has the most impact on bone strength, vitamin D works to improve your body's ability to absorb calcium. When combined together, calcium and vitamin D can help protect your bones from breakage and injury.