‘Samurai’ protein forges bones of STEEL

Think of your bones as the foundation of a house…

The older the house, the more likely the foundation will begin to show signs of age and weakness… which means it requires maintenance and upkeep to stay sturdy.

Well, the same goes for your bones! As you age, your bones weaken and require vital minerals, like calcium, to remain strong.

A new study recently validates this… and states that calcium supplements before age 35 can prevent osteoporosis later in life.

But what if your 30s are well behind you?

Unfortunately, studies have found that simply relying on calcium alone—or even more calcium—doesn’t necessarily reduce your risk of fractures as you age…

Now, I won’t argue that calcium is considered the gold standard when it comes to bone health.

BUT it’s also true that it doesn’t always keep your bones from Weakening.

At least, not by itself.

That’s because there are other critical that help support the role of calcium.

And this is exactly where our ancient ‘Samurai’ protein comes into play.

Chances are you haven’t heard of (or seen) Nattokinase (aka natto) here in the States, but this ancient food has been a staple of health and vitality in Japan for centuries.

Natto is a traditional Japanese dish consisting of fermented soybeans. Most describe it as having a sticky and stringy texture… but with a flavor that is earthy and ‘nutty.’

The origins of natto date back to the Samurai Lord Minamoto no Yoshīe and his army in the 1080’s AD.

Studies have found that one of natto’s most unique health benefits is its concentration of multiple nutrients that contribute to healthy bones.

A small 3.5-ounce portion of natto provides 22% of the recommended daily intake (RDI) of calcium (a cup of milk contains 23% percent of the RDI of calcium)

In addition to calcium, natto is one of the rare plant sources of vitamin K2 – an essential vitamin that activates bone-building proteins that help calcium be absorbed into your bones.

Studies have found that vitamin K2 slows age-related loss in bone mineral density and may reduce the risk of certain fractures by 60 to 81%!

In other words, not only does natto contain a ton of calcium, but it also has the essential, bone-critical vitamins that properly stimulate your body’s consumption and storage of calcium…

Which all boils down to stronger bones for you!

Here in the States, natto is found almost exclusively in capsule or tablet form.

Natto can help boost your calcium levels, but don’t forget to first talk to your doctor to understand how it fits into your diet and overall ‘bone plan.’

To bones of steel,
Sarah Reagan

Sources:
Anderer, John. “Taking calcium supplements before age 35 may prevent osteoporosis later in life.” https://studyfinds.org/calcium-supplements-age-35/

National Institutes of Health. “Calcium.” https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Calcium-HealthProfessional/

Petre, Alina. “Why Natto Is Super Healthy and Nutritious.” https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/natto