Osteoporosis is a medical condition characterized by the progressive thinning and weakening of bones.
The consumption of certain foods and beverages significantly influences the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis.
While you may be familiar with foods that promote bone strength, incorporating them into a well-structured diet can pose challenges.
This article provides a comprehensive overview of the osteoporosis diet, including a sample 7-day plan featuring daily meals and a corresponding shopping list.
View Osteoporosis Diet Meal Plan PDF
What Nutrients Should You Focus On?
In order to help slow and treat osteoporosis, there are a few key nutrients you should be aware of:
Calcium
This is the mineral that your body needs for many functions. However, they are an important component of bone tissue and help strengthen bones and teeth.
Foods high in calcium include:
- Dairy foods – milk, cheese and yogurt
- Green leafy vegetables – broccoli and cabbage (not spinach)
- Nuts and seeds – particularly chia seeds and almonds
- Fatty fish – sardines and salmon
- Beans and lentils – kidney beans, black beans and chickpeas
- Fortified foods – cereals, orange juice, drinks and breads that have calcium added to them
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is the body’s partner to calcium. It is used to absorb calcium, meaning it is just as important. Sources with lots of Vitamin D include:
- Sunlight – about 10 – 15 minutes of exposure twice a week without sunscreen should be enough. The exact amount required can vary depending on a range of factors such as skin color, time of day, smog, cloud cover and geographic latitude.
- Fortified milk
- Fatty fish – salmon, mackerel, and tuna fish
- Egg yolk
Protein
Protein is essential in order to preserve healthy tissue like muscle tissue. Not eating sufficient amounts of protein can lead to increase hip fracture risks.
A good rule of thumb is to aim to eat between 0.8 – 2.0 milligrams (mg) of protein per kg of body weight (1).
Foods high in protein include:
- Meat – chicken, beef, pork
- Seafood – salmon, tuna, mackerel
- Beans and lentils – kidney beans, fava beans, chickpeas
- Dairy foods – cheese, milk, yogurt
- Eggs
Other important vitamins are vitamin C, magnesium, vitamin K and zinc.
What Foods Should You Limit or Avoid?
Salty foods
Food with a lot of sodium cause the body to lose calcium by excretion through the kidneys. Try and avoid foods with at least 20% of your daily recommended intake.
The recommendation is to keep calcium below roughly 2,300mg or 5g per day.
Foods with lots of salt include:
- Processed meats – processed sausages, chorizo, ham
- Fast food – burgers, fries, pizzas
- Baked products – bread and breakfast cereals
- Processed foods
- Canned soups
Caffeine
Caffeine decreases calcium absorption and leaches it from bones. Although different kinds of drinks have varying amounts of caffeine, we recommend moderating your intake if you’re a regular tea or coffee drinker.
Excess Vitamin A
Excess vitamin A can have a negative effect on your bone health. However, most typical diets won’t include enough vitamin A to be a problem unless you eat vitamin A-rich foods such as liver more than once a week.
However, if you take multi-vitamin or fish liver oil, then this may become a problem.
One study found caffeine consumption was a prime contributor to low-bone density in postmenopausal women (2).
Alcohol
Excess alcohol consumption can hinder fracture healing and bone formation, leading to low bone mass (3). Therefore, it’s best to limit your intake to no more than two units a day.
View Osteoporosis Diet Meal Plan PDF
What’s the Best Diet for Osteoporosis?
The Mediterranean diet is a framework that’s often recommended within the scientific community.
It contains all the foods recommended above. In particular, the Mediterranean diet focuses on:
- Fruit and vegetables
- Nuts and seeds
- Legumes
- Whole grains
- Fish
- Poultry
- Eggs
- Dairy
- Herbs and spices
- Olive oil
It’s regularly rated as one of the best diets to follow, both because of how healthy it is and how sustainable it is to follow over the long-term. US News ranked it as the number 1 diet.
Various leading organizations also support eating a Mediterranean diet to help with osteoporosis, including:
Other studies confirm that the Mediterranean diet can help slow down the rate of bone loss, particularly in postmenopausal women and elderly men (4).
Osteoporosis Diet Meal Plan
Sample Menu
In the meal plan are recipes for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
| Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon | Blueberry Blues Porridge | Greek Salad | Haddock Risotto |
| Tues | Basil & Spinach Scramble | Falafel Wraps | Eggplant & Lentil Bake |
| Wed | Tomato & Watermelon Salad | Carrot, Orange & Avocado Salad | Mediterranean Chicken, Quinoa & Greek Salad |
| Thurs | Blueberry Blues Porridge | Mixed Bean Salad | Grilled Vegetables with Bean Mash |
| Fri | Basil & Spinach Scramble | Panzanella Salad | Salmon & Chickpea Salad |
| Sat | Tomato & Watermelon Salad | Spiced Carrot & Lentil Soup | Chicken Gyros |
| Sun | Blueberry Blues Porridge | Moroccan Chickpea Soup | Spicy Mediterranean Beet Salad |
Snacks are recommended between meal times. Some good snacks include:
- A handful of nuts or seeds
- A piece of fruit
- Carrots or baby carrots
- Berries or grapes
View Osteoporosis Diet Meal Plan PDF
Day 1: Monday
Breakfast: Breakfast Blues Porridge
Nutrition
- Calories – 347
- Protein – 15g
- Carbs – 42g
- Fat – 15g
Prep time: 5 minutes
Ingredients (for 2 people)
- ½ cup (50g) porridge oats
- ⅚ cup (200ml) milk
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp Greek yogurt
- ⅛ cup (25g) chia seeds
- ¾ cup (150g) blueberries
- ⅓ cup (25g) flaked almonds
Instructions
- Mix the porridge oats, milk, vanilla extract, Greek yogurt and chia seeds in a bowl and soak for one minute. Once the oats have softened, add some of the blueberries.
- Place the mixture into two bowls and add any remaining berries and almonds.
Lunch: Greek Salad
Nutrition
- Calories – 273
- Protein – 6g
- Carbs – 14g
- Fat – 24g
Prep time: 5 minutes
Ingredients (for 2 people)
- ⅘ cup (120g) cherry tomatoes,
- 1 cucumber, peeled, deseeded and roughly chopped
- ½ red onion, thinly sliced
- ⅓ (60g) or about 16 Kalamata olives
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ⅓ cup (50g) feta cheese, crumbled
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Place all of the ingredients in a large bowl and lightly season. Serve with wholemeal bread.
Dinner: Haddock Risotto
Nutrition
- Calories – 508
- Protein – 40g
- Carbs – 46g
- Fat – 15g
Prep time + cook time: 45 minutes
Ingredients (for 2 people)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large leek, thinly sliced
- ⅓ cup (150g) risotto rice, such as arborio or carnaroli
- 1 ½ cups (350ml) vegetable stock
- ½ cup (125ml) milk
- 9-10 oz (280g) smoked haddock,
- skinned and cut into large chunks
- 2 tbsp Greek yogurt
- 1 ⅔ cups (50g) baby spinach
Instructions
- Heat oven to 400F (200C). Heat the oil in an oven-proof dish over a medium heat. Cook the leek for 4-5 minutes, until just tender. Add the rice and stir for 2 extra minutes.
- Add the stock and milk, bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the haddock on top. Cover with foil and bake in the oven for 18 minutes until the rice is tender.
- Add the Greek yogurt and spinach and season. Cover the pan again and leave to rest out of the oven for 3 minutes before serving.
View Osteoporosis Diet Meal Plan PDF
Day 2: Tuesday
Breakfast: Tomato and Watermelon Salad
Nutrition
- Calories – 177
- Protein – 5g
- Carbs – 13g
- Fat – 13g
Prep time + cook time: 5 minutes
Ingredients (for 2 people)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- ¼ tsp chilli flakes
- 1 tbsp chopped mint
- ⅘ cup (120g) cherry tomatoes, chopped
- 1 ⅔ cups (250g) watermelon, cut into chunks
- ⅔ cup (100g) feta cheese, crumbled
Instructions
- For the dressing, Mix the oil, vinegar, chilli flakes and mint and then season.
- Put the tomatoes and watermelon into a bowl. Pour over the dressing, add the feta, then serve.
Lunch: Falafel Wraps
Nutrition
- Calories – 424
- Protein – 21g
- Carbs – 44g
- Fat – 21g
Prep time + cook time: 12 minutes
Ingredients (for 2 people)
- 2 wholemeal wraps
- 4 falafels (about 3.5 oz / 100g)
- ½ avocado
- Small bunch of parsley, chopped
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1 tbsp harissa
For the tahini sauce:
- ¼ cup (60g) Greek yogurt
- ½ tbsp tahini
- ½ lemon, juiced
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- ¼ tsp ground cumin
Instructions
- To make the tahini sauce, add the ingredients plus some seasoning to a bowl and mix together.
- Heat a dry frying pan over a medium heat and warm the flatbread for 1 minute, flipping halfway through. Spoon some tahini sauce on the flatbread along with the falafel and tahini. Scatter the parsley, squeeze the lime juice and add the harissa. Roll and serve.
Dinner: Eggplant Lentil Bake
Nutrition
- Calories – 444
- Protein – 17g
- Carbs – 52g
- Fat – 20g
Prep time + cook time: 60 minutes
Ingredients (for 2 people)
- 1 eggplant / aubergine, sliced lengthways
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ⅓ cup (70g) lentils
- 2 onions, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- ¾ cup (150g) cooked butternut squash
- 7 oz can (200g) chopped tomatoes
- ½ small pack basil leaves
- ⅓ cup (60g) feta
Instructions
- Heat oven to 425F (220C). Add oil to each eggplant side. Lay on baking sheets, season and bake for 15-20 minutes, turning once. Cook lentils following pack instructions.
- Heat oil in frying pan. Add onions and garlic and cook until soft. Add squash & tomatoes, plus ½ can of water. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until the sauce thickens. Stir in lentils, basil & seasoning.
- Spoon layer of lentils into baking dish, then eggplant slices and repeat. Scatter feta and bake for 15 more minutes until cheese is golden.
View Osteoporosis Diet Meal Plan PDF
Day 3: Wednesday
Breakfast: Basil & Spinach Scramble
Nutrition
- Calories – 294
- Protein – 16g
- Carbs – 8g
- Fat – 24g
Prep time + cook time: 10 minutes
Ingredients (for 2 people)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ⅔ cup (100g) cherry tomatoes
- 4 eggs
- ¼ cup (60ml) milk
- handful basil, chopped
- 6 cups (180g) baby spinach
- black pepper
Instructions
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan and add the tomatoes. While they are cooking, beat the eggs in a jug and add the milk, black pepper and basil.
- Remove the tomatoes from the pan and place on the plates. Add the oil, spinach and egg mixture to the pan, stirring occasionally until the eggs scramble. Once set, add to the plates and serve.
Lunch: Carrot, Orange and Avocado Salad
Nutrition
- Calories – 177
- Protein – 5g
- Carbs – 13g
- Fat – 13g
Prep time + cook time: 5 minutes
Ingredients (for 2 people)
- 1 orange, plus zest and juice of 1
- 2 carrots, halved lengthways and sliced with a peeler
- 35g / 1 ½ cups rocket / arugula
- 1 avocado, stoned, peeled and sliced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Cut the segments from 1 of the oranges and put in a bowl with the carrots, rocket/arugula and avocado. Whisk together the orange juice, zest and oil. Toss through the salad, and season.
Dinner: Med Chicken, Quinoa and Greek Salad
Nutrition
- Calories – 424
- Protein – 33g
- Carbs – 50g
- Fat – 21g
Prep time + cook time: 20 minutes
Ingredients (for 2 people)
- ⅗ cup (100g) quinoa
- ½ red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 2 chicken breasts
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 cup (150g) cherry tomatoes, chopped
- handful pitted black kalamata olives
- ½ red onion, finely sliced
- ⅓ cup (50g) feta cheese, crumbled
- small bunch mint leaves, chopped
- juice and zest ½ lemon
Instructions
- Cook the quinoa following the pack instructions, then rinse in cold water and drain thoroughly.
- Meanwhile, toss the chicken fillets in the olive oil with some seasoning, chilli and garlic. Lay in a hot pan and cook for 3-4 minutes each side or until cooked through. Transfer to a plate and set aside
- Next, tip the tomatoes, olives, onion, feta and mint into a bowl. Toss in the cooked quinoa. Stir through the remaining olive oil, lemon juice and zest, and season well. Serve with the chicken on top.
View Osteoporosis Diet Meal Plan PDF
Day 4: Thursday
Breakfast: Breakfast Blues Porridge
Lunch: Mixed Bean Salad
Nutrition
- Calories – 240
- Protein – 11g
- Carbs – 22g
- Fat – 12g
Prep time + cook time: 10 minutes
Ingredients (for 2 people)
- ⅘ cups (145g) artichoke heart in oil
- ½ tbsp sundried tomato paste
- ½ tsp red wine vinegar
- 7 oz can (200g) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- ⅘ cup (120g) cherry tomatoes, chopped
- handful Kalamata black olives
- 2 spring onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal
- ⅔ cup (100g) feta cheese, crumbled
Instructions
- Drain the jar of artichokes, reserving 1-2 tbsp of oil. Add the oil, sun-dried tomato paste and vinegar and stir until smooth. Season to taste.
- Chop the artichokes and tip into a bowl. Add the cannellini beans, tomatoes, olives, spring onions and half of the feta cheese. Stir in the artichoke oil mixture and tip into a serving bowl. Crumble over the remaining feta cheese, then serve.
Dinner: Grilled Vegetables with Bean Mash
Nutrition
- Calories – 314
- Protein – 19g
- Carbs – 33g
- Fat – 16g
Prep time + cook time: 40 minutes
Ingredients (for 2 people)
- 1 pepper, deseeded & quartered
- 1 eggplant (aubergine), sliced lengthways
- 2 zucchini (courgettes), sliced lengthways
- 2 tbsp olive oil
For the mash
- 14 oz (400g) can haricot beans, rinsed
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- ⅖ cup (100ml) vegetable stock
- 1 tbsp chopped cilantro (coriander
Instructions
- Heat the grill. Arrange the vegetables over a grill pan &brush lightly with oil. Grill until lightly browned, turn them over, brush again with oil, then grill until tender.
- Meanwhile, put the beans in a pan with garlic and stock. Bring to the boil, then simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Mash roughly with a potato masher. Divide the vegetables and mash between 2 plates, drizzle over oil and sprinkle with black pepper and coriander.
View Osteoporosis Diet Meal Plan PDF
Day 5: Friday
Breakfast: Tomato and Watermelon Salad
Lunch: Panzanella Salad
Nutrition
- Calories – 452
- Protein – 6g
- Carbs – 37g
- Fat – 25g
Prep time + cook time: 10 minutes
Ingredients (for 2 people)
- 2 cups (300g) cherry tomatoes, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 1 tbsp capers, drained and rinsed
- 1 avocado, stoned, peeled and chopped
- 1 small red onion, very thinly sliced
- 2 slices of brown bread
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- small handful basil leaves
Instructions
- Chop the tomatoes and put them in a bowl. Season well and add the garlic, capers, avocado and onion. Mix well and set aside for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, tear the bread into chunks and place in a bowl. Drizzle over half of the olive oil and half of the vinegar. When ready to serve, scatter tomatoes and basil leaves and drizzle with remaining oil and vinegar. Stir before serving.
Dinner: Salmon & Chickpea Salad
Nutrition
- Calories – 351
- Protein – 25g
- Carbs – 34g
- Fat – 14g
Prep time + cook time: 20 minutes
Ingredients (for 2 people)
- 1 large red pepper, quartered and deseeded
- ½ lemon, zest and juice
- pinch smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 ⅓ cup (100g) baby spinach
- 2 salmon fillets
- 14 oz (400g) can chickpeas
Instructions
- Heat the grill and grill the pepper quarters for 5 minutes. Leave the grill on. Transfer the peppers to a bowl & leave to cool slightly. Peel off the skins & cut the flesh into strips.
- Whisk the lemon zest, juice, smoked paprika, olive oil & seasoning. Toss half the dressing with the spinach leaves and divide between 2 bowls.
- Season the salmon and grill for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the chickpeas in their canning liquid for 3-4 minutes, drain well, then mix with the remaining dressing & strips of pepper. Spoon over spinach and top with salmon to serve.
View Osteoporosis Diet Meal Plan PDF
Day 6: Saturday
Breakfast: Basil & Spinach Scramble
Lunch: Spiced Carrot and Lentil Soup
Nutrition
- Calories – 238
- Protein – 11g
- Carbs – 34g
- Fat – 7g
Prep time + cook time: 25 minutes
Ingredients (for 2 people)
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- pinch chilli flakes
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cups (300g) carrots, washed and coarsely grated
- ⅓ cup (70g) split red lentils
- 2 ¼ cups (500ml) hot vegetable stock
- ¼ cup (60ml) milk
- Greek yogurt, to serve
Instructions
- Heat a large saucepan and dryfry the cumin seeds and chilli flakes for 1 minute. Scoop out about half of the seeds with a spoon and set aside. Add the oil, carrot, lentils, stock and milk to the pan and bring to the boil. Simmer for 15 minutes until the lentils have swollen and softened.
- Whizz the soup with a stick blender or in a food processor until smooth. Season to taste and finish with a dollop of Greek yogurt and a sprinkling of the reserved toasted spices.
Dinner: Chicken Gyros
Nutrition
- Calories – 296
- Protein – 26g
- Carbs – 29g
- Fat – 8g
Prep time + cook time: 15 minutes
Ingredients (for 2 people)
- 1 chicken breast, cut into chunks
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ½ tsp oregano
- 2 tbsp Greek yogurt
- 8-10cm (about half) piece cucumber,
- 2 tbsp mint, chopped
- 2 wholemeal pita bread
- ⅓ cup (50g) cherry tomatoes
- 1 roasted red pepper from jar, sliced
Instructions
- Heat a frying pan with some olive oil over a medium heat. Cover the chicken chunks with oregano, then add to the pan with the garlic and some pepper. Cook for 5 minutes or so until cooked through.
- Meanwhile, grate the cucumber and squeeze out the excess water. Add the yogurt, grated cucumber and mint to make the tzatziki.
- Cut the tops of the pittas on their longest side. Layer in the chicken, tomatoes and red pepper. If eating immediately, add the tzatziki. If taking away, keep the tzatziki in a separate container and add before eating to stop the pitta going soggy.
View Osteoporosis Diet Meal Plan PDF
Day 7: Sunday
Breakfast: Breakfast Blues Porridge
Lunch: Moroccan Chickpea Soup
Nutrition
- Calories – 408
- Protein – 15g
- Carbs – 63g
- Fat – 11g
Prep time + cook time: 25 minutes
Ingredients (for 2 people)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ medium onion, chopped
- 1 celery sticks, chopped
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 ¼ cups (300ml) hot vegetable stock
- 7 oz can (200g) chopped tomatoes
- 7 oz can (200g) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- ¼ cup (50g) frozen broad beans
- zest and juice ½ lemon
- cilantro (coriander) & bread to serve
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a saucepan, then fry the onion and celery for 10 minutes until softened. Add the cumin and fry for another minute.
- Turn up the heat, then add the stock, tomatoes, chickpeas and black pepper. Simmer for 8 minutes. Add broad beans and lemon juice and cook for a further 2 minutes. Top with lemon zest and coriander.
Dinner: Spicy Mediterranean Beet Salad
Nutrition
- Calories – 548
- Protein – 23g
- Carbs – 58g
- Fat – 20g
Prep time + cook time: 40 minutes
Ingredients (for 2 people)
- 8 raw baby beetroots, or 4 medium, scrubbed
- ½ tbsp sumac
- ½ tbsp ground cumin
- 14 oz can (400g) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Zest and juice, ½ lemon
- ⅚ cup (200g) Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp harissa paste
- 1 tsp crushed red chilli flakes
- mint leaves, chopped, to serve
Instructions
- Heat oven to 425F (220C). Halve or quarter beetroots depending on size. Mix spices together. On a large baking tray, mix chickpeas and beetroot with the oil. Season with salt & sprinkle over the spices. Mix again. Roast for 30 minutes.
- While the vegetables are cooking, mix the lemon zest and juice with the yogurt. Swirl the harissa through and spread into a bowl. Top with the beetroot & chickpeas, and sprinkle with the chilli flakes & mint
View Osteoporosis Diet Meal Plan PDF
Osteoporosis Diet Shopping List
This shopping list corresponds to the 7 day plan, serving 2 people. No snacks are included.
View Osteoporosis Diet Meal Plan PDF
28 Day Mediterranean-Style Osteoporosis Diet Plan
We’ve created a 4-week Mediterranean-style osteoporosis diet meal plan that follows the same format as this 7-day meal plan pdf. In it contains FOUR weeks of meal plans, recipes, shopping lists and prep guides – all available in digital format.
Click here to grab your copy of the 28 day Mediterranean diet plan for osteoporosis!
Disclosure
We would like to take a moment to note that this post is for information purposes only. It does not claim to provide medical advice or to be able to treat any medical condition. It makes no claims with respect to weight loss, either in terms of the amount or rate at which weight loss could be achieved. If you have any concerns regarding your health please contact your medical practitioner before making changes.