What Women Should Know About Fruit and Bone Health

Women should know that fruit positively impacts their bones. The nutrients in fruit help keep your bones strong and dense, making them resistant to fracture.   

Essential nutrients for your bones found in fruits include fiber, phytochemicals, and potassium. Some fruits even have bone-building calcium, magnesium, and bone-protective folate, vitamin C, and vitamin E.   

Fruits are typically sweet and may contain large or small seeds that arise from flowering plants. Some, such as avocados, mangoes, or peaches, contain one large seed, while others have many smaller seeds, such as melons, apples, and papaya.   

Nutrients found in fruit 

No single fruit is going to give you everything you need. But even just a serving of fruit is packed with healthful nutrients for women. Eating a variety of fruit gives you the most from this food group and is recommended over taking a supplement unless you have a medical condition that requires supplementation.  

If your physician prescribed a supplement for you to improve an out-of-range lab level, then a supplement is needed. Otherwise, reap fruit’s benefits to get not just a specific nutrient they contain but the greater benefit from the combination of nutrients and substances fruit provides for your bones.  

Typically, a serving of fruit gives you 15 grams of carbs, a wide range of fiber, 2-10 grams, and various vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals.  

What kind of carbohydrates are in fruit? 

There are many different types of carbohydrates, namely simple (sugars) and complex (starches). All fruits consist of simple carbohydrates, and they all contain fiber which helps with calcium absorption. The consensus is that sugar is bad; however, this is not true for naturally occurring sugar in fruit.  

Fruit is good for your bones. It is not necessary to be concerned with the sugar in fruit because it is naturally occurring. If you have diabetes, you may want to limit your fruit intake to no more than one cup at a meal or snack.   

The sugar gives fruit its tasty quality and is delightful to eat on its own or paired with complementary food such as nuts, cheese, or yogurt.   

While fruit contains sugar, remember that it also contains many health-supporting substances. In contrast, high-calorie, low-nutrient foods such as sugary beverages, candies, and snack cakes often have much higher levels of sugar than fruit and are void of the healthy substances found in fruit.    

For example, a small apple and three lemon drop candies both have a comparable amount of sugar and calories, but the apple is filling and beneficial to your health, while the lemon drops are not. Further, the sugar in the apple naturally occurs, and the sugar in the candy is added.   

Phytochemicals 

While you may have heard about the importance of vitamins and minerals, you may be unsure about phytochemicals. Simply put, phytochemicals are substances in plant foods that contribute to good health. There are many different ones; in this blog, we only focus on carotenoids. 

Carotenoids 

Carotenoids contribute to the color and smell of fruits. They are also fat-soluble, meaning fat can help us absorb them. 

Beta-carotene 

This carotenoid is beneficial, protecting your bones as an antioxidant. When needed, beta-carotene converts to vitamin A in your body, contributing to bone, skin, and eye health. Beta-carotene is found in mangos, cantaloupes, apricots, peaches, and nectarines.  

Lycopene

Lycopene, another carotenoid found in fruit, benefits not only your bones but also your blood pressure and cholesterol. It’s also anti-inflammatory. Evidence suggests that lycopene protects your bones from oxidative stress and your heart and blood vessels from the accumulation of free radical damage.  

Some fruits containing lycopene include pink grapefruit, papaya, watermelon, and figs.  

Vitamins and minerals 

Vitamins 

Fruits are filled with vitamins and minerals. We mentioned above that many contain beta-carotene, a carotenoid, that transforms into vitamin A in the body as needed.  

Small amounts of B vitamins are available in fruits. Some have more abundant folate (vitamin B9), such as oranges, bananas, strawberries, cantaloupe, honeydew, avocado, and papaya. A 2020 study revealed that postmenopausal women with higher blood folate levels had greater bone mineral density (stronger bones) in their hip bones (upper thigh bones).  

Many fruits offer plentiful amounts of vitamin C to your daily intake, including strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, kiwifruit, melons, oranges, and grapefruit. Price and fellow researchers reported that vitamin C results in stronger bones and is essential for healing bone fractures.

Vitamin E is another antioxidant that protects your bones, blood vessels, and immune system. Women with low levels were more likely to have osteoporosis and fracture a hip.   

Women 50 and older consume a little more than half the recommended dietary allowance. Avocados, kiwifruit, and mangos are abundant in this protective vitamin.  

Minerals 

Some fruits are higher than others in potassium, but most contribute significantly to your daily needs. Potassium contributes to better bone mineral density and decreased bone loss in peri- and postmenopausal women. Women 50 and older do not get enough potassium.   

Apricots, avocados, cantaloupe, prunes, raisins, honeydew, oranges, and bananas are among the fruits that contain more potassium.  

Surprisingly, some fruits, such as oranges and figs, contribute calcium to the diet. Calcium is a significant mineral that keeps bones strong and assists with muscle contraction.   

This nutrient has a synergistic effect (works together) with the other nutrients for overall good health. Women 50 and over barely get two-thirds of the recommended amount.  

Magnesium is necessary for strong bones. Eating foods that give you sufficient amounts of magnesium helps you optimize your status of this nutrient. Women with lower levels were more likely to have osteoporosis. On average, postmenopausal women fall short of the recommended intake.   

Bananas, raisins, avocados, apples, papaya, and blackberries are plentiful in magnesium.  

Where to find fruit in the grocery store 

Typically, you will find fruits along the outside walls of most grocery stores. You will generally find canned and dried on the interior, and frozen fruits with other frozen foods.  

Look for packaged fruits that do not contain any added sugars. The naturally occurring sugars found in the fruits are alright to eat. 

Choose various colors, including brown, black, and white, to help you get these gems’ nutrients and phytochemicals.  

How much fruit should women eat?  

Fruit can round out any meal nicely on the side. Eat at least two servings of fruit daily for your bones and overall good health. 

What counts as a serving? 

Fiber is a significant benefit of eating fruit. Fresh, frozen, and dried fruit offers more fiber than canned fruit and juice. Eating edible skins on fruit will give you more of the nutrients found in fruit, including fiber. 

Serving sizes vary depending on the form. Typically, a serving is one cup of fresh or frozen fruit. A serving of canned fruit in its own juice is a half-cup.  

Dried fruit varies. A serving is two tablespoons of raisins or dried cranberries, four dried apricots, and one Medjool date (or three Deglet dates). For juice, one serving is usually half a cup. 

Is fresh fruit better for you? 

Fruits are available in fresh, frozen, canned, dried, and juice options. It is a common myth that fresh fruits are more nutritious than frozen or canned. However, fresh is not necessarily healthier. Fresh may have more nutrients if homegrown or grown locally and sold at a farmers’ market.  

Once the fruit is picked, the plant, tree, or vine no longer feeds it. Fresh fruits may travel for a few days before arriving at your grocery store, and nutrients are lost during this transit time and while they sit on your counter or fridge before you eat them. 

Many frozen and canned fruits are picked and flash-frozen or canned on the same day, sealing in the wholesome goodness.  

Look for fruit that smells garden fresh, feels firm, and is free of bruising or injury at the produce counter. There is no need to avoid fruit that isn’t perfectly pretty. Just because a fruit may not look the best doesn’t mean that it isn’t juicy and sweet.   

Packaged fruits are picked during season for the best quality and nutritional value and processed almost immediately, which locks in their nutrients. Frozen fruits are quick-frozen, and the canning process also preserves the nutrients in fruit.   

Choose products without added sugar. Glance at the list of ingredients. If the product is a blend, all you should see is the name of the fruit or fruits.  

You can also check the nutrition facts label and look for “Added Sugars.” You are looking for “0 grams.” 

How you can include fruit daily 

Fruit can be added to any meal or enjoyed as part of a snack. Fruit pairs nicely with yogurt, cheese, nuts, and nut butters for a quick snack.  

• Canned peaches with cottage cheese 
• Apple slices with peanut butter 
• Dried apricots with almonds  
• Berries with yogurt 
• Pears with walnuts 
• Raisins with pumpkin seeds 

Fruit can be added to cereal or waffles at breakfast or to a salad with your lunch or dinner.   

How to safely handle fruit    

Wash hands before handling fruit. Fresh fruit should be washed in cold running water to remove dirt and impurities. Once you cut, peel, or cook fruit, it should be stored in the refrigerator. Avoid cross-contamination with eggs and raw meat, chicken, or seafood. 

What is the difference between fruits and veggies? 

Botanically speaking, plant foods that contain seeds are considered fruits. From a culinary and nutritional perspective, only those that are sweet are fruits. For example, veggies such as squash, eggplants, peppers, cucumbers, okra, and tomatoes contain seeds.

Botanically speaking, they are fruits. However, because they are not sweet, they are considered veggies.   

A sweet potato might be sweet, but it is not a fruit because it doesn’t contain seeds. And a couple of exceptions of fruits that aren’t sweet are olives and avocados. They have pits, so technically, they are fruits. Olives and avocados are considered healthy fats because of their nutritional profiles. 

Conclusion 

Keeping fruits on hand helps you enjoy this bone-protecting staple to keep you strong. Yes, fruit contains sugar, but it also has vital nutrients and health-supporting phytochemicals that energize you and give you bone-building nutrients such as vitamin C. If you enjoyed this blog, you may also like our *free* 5 Staples for Quick Meals to Keep Your Bones Strong course.