A study at the University of Ulster in Ireland reveals that the more fruit a teenage girl eats, the stronger her bones become.
Researchers evaluated the diets and bone density of 1,345 adolescents in Ireland between the ages of 12 and 15. The strongest correlation appeared in 12-year-old girls who ate the most fruit (7 daily ounces or more). Compared to moderate fruit consumers, these girls had higher bone-mineral densities, an indicator of bone strength. The researchers speculate that fruit may help to buffer the normal acids in a diet. In the absence of fruit, the acids may cause calcium to be released from the bones as a substitute buffer, resulting in a weaker skeleton.
