Add high-phytate foods to your diet, but keep up your calcium intake.

A substance found in whole grains can help bones stay strong, according to a new study.

04-20-09 RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS, PA—We all know that calcium helps build stronger bones. But Spanish researchers have found that foods rich in phytate, a naturally occurring compound in whole grains, legumes, and nuts, also may boost bone density and protect us from osteoporosis. Their study recently appeared in the Journal of Medicinal Food.

THE DETAILS: Researchers compared bone density of more than 1,400 volunteers who filled out diet questionnaires and found that bone density was higher in people who ate more phytate-rich foods. Low phytate consumption should be considered a risk factor for osteoporosis, say researchers, who urge people to eat phytate-rich foods as part of a balanced diet to avoid suffering from osteoporosis, which can lead to painful bone fractures.

WHAT IT MEANS: Phytate has actually been shown to hinder your body’s ability to utilize calcium, so it may seem weird that researchers now suggest it can keep your bones strong. But as long as you’re getting enough calcium in your diet, you can also reap the additional benefits of phytate, explains Felicia Cosman, M.D., clinical director for the National Osteoporosis Foundation and author of What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Osteoporosis: Help Prevent--and Even Reverse--the Disease that Burdens Millions of Women (Grand Central Publishing, 2003). “The foods that are rich in phytates may slightly impair calcium absorption, but it’s so minor,” she says. “We aren’t recommending people limit intake of phytate-rich foods. We just want to make sure people get enough calcium.”

Here’s how to get the calcium you need and keep your bones in tip-top shape.

• Hit the right number. As long as you’re consuming 1,200 mg of calcium a day, phytate-packed foods—such as legumes (lentils, beans), almonds, and whole grains—won’t hurt your body’s ability to process the calcium, says Cosman. You’ll reap the bone-protecting benefits both substances provide, plus other perks: Legumes, for example, are packed with fiber, natural phytochemicals, minerals, and vitamins that are beneficial to health.

• Find calcium in multiple sources. Pick low-fat or no-fat dairy products for a big shot of calcium. A serving of yogurt, cheese, or milk generally accounts for about 300 mg of calcium. You can figure that the trace amount of calcium in green vegetables you eat daily can count for about 250 to 300 mg of calcium. Many juices, soy and rice milk products, snacks, and cereals also are fortified with calcium. If you’re still having trouble consuming 1,200 mg, take a calcium and vitamin D supplement. (Vitamin D helps your body process calcium.)