Longevity
•Centr Team
10 high-protein recipes for stronger bones
While calcium hogs the spotlight, nutrition expert Angie Asche says there’s another factor in the strong-bone equation that often gets overlooked: protein.
“It’s a common misconception that protein is only for building muscle, but the amino acids that make up protein are used for so many different functions in the body like bone health and immune health,” says Angie.
As you age, your bone density decreases and your risk of serious breaks and fractures goes up. That’s one of the reasons experts recommend a daily protein intake of between 1.2g and 2g per kilogram of bodyweight per day for older people.
“Protein needs will be greater because as we age we have lower rates of muscle protein synthesis, and experience a natural decline in muscle mass and strength,” Angie explains.
How to strengthen bones
As well as upping your protein intake, Angie’s key tips for maintaining strong bones as you age are:
- Getting plenty of Vitamins D and K, magnesium and phosphorus, which all play a role in the health of our bones.
- Keep up the physical activity, especially strength training, to optimize bone health.
- Don’t undereat – low energy availability has been shown to negatively affect bone health.
10 high-protein recipes for bone strength
Ready to board the protein bus for strong bones?
1
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Apple Pie Smoothie
It’s a smoothie that’s high in protein and tastes like apple pie. What more incentive do you need?
2
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Blackened Shrimp Burrito Bowl
We cooked up this Cajun-inspired dinner using shrimp (prawns), but you can add any protein you like – think chicken, tofu or fish.
3
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Grilled Chicken with Herby White Bean Salad
This protein-packed salad bowl makes simple grilled chicken simply delicious.
4
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Beef Udon Stir-fry
You can’t go past a stir-fry for a quick protein fix. We’ve made this one extra easy, so you’ll be fueling up for strong bones in no time.
5
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Dan’s Veggie BLT Salad
This plant-based spin on the classic BLT adds tofu for protein and a simple vegan coconut bacon for big flavor.
6
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Dan's Mocha Overnight Oats
Brain take a while to kick in each morning? That’s okay, you can prepare Dan’s breakfast cup the night before. Then after the caffeine helps you switch on, the oats will keep you powering through until lunch.
7
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Angie's Plant-based Pesto Pasta
The trick here is to use a pulse pasta – made using flour from peas, lentils, chickpeas or beans, it’s higher in protein than a regular wheat pasta.
8
/10
Teriyaki-glazed Chicken Sushi Bowl
The only thing better than that sticky teriyaki glaze is the 43g of protein this bowl is packing.
10
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One-pot Ramen Noodles with Turkey
It doesn’t take much effort to reap the high-protein rewards of this quick and easy dinner.
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