We all need to start thinking about our bone health. Here's what to eat
There are plenty of non-dairy food sources that help you get calcium into your diet, says Ward. One of these are soy foods, such as tofu and edamame beans – 100g (3.5oz) of tofu contains 200mg of calcium.
There is emerging evidence that soy foods could reduce the risk of fractures.
Soy contains a type of naturally occurring plant compound that resembles oestrogen, called isoflavone. Studies have also found that postmenopausal women with a high intake of soy supplements have better bone density.
A meta-analysis involving over 9,000 postmenopausal women found those who took soy isoflavone supplements showed small improvements in bone mineral density at the spine, hip and forearm. The biggest benefits were seen with higher-dose supplements taken for at least a year, but more research is needed to understand the benefits from eating soy foods compared to supplements.
Another source of soy is tempeh, which is made through fermentation, a process that breaks down compounds known as antinutrients, which can interfere with the absorption of minerals important for bone health. As a result, our body can absorb more calcium from tempeh.
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