Bone health foods: overview
- Bone health interest rose 46% between July 2025 and 2026
- Bone and joint ingredients market forecast for sustained growth
- Calcium-rich dairy ingredients provide multiple bone-supporting nutrients for consumers
- Protein supports bone maintenance and may reduce fall risks
- Successful products combine complementary nutrients within balanced nutritional profiles
Interest in bone health, and food ingredients that are aimed at improving it, is growing.
The bone and joint health ingredients market is expected to grow by a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.76% between 2026 and 2031, according to market intelligence platform Mordor Intelligence.
And online interest in bone health increased by 46% between July 2025 and July 2026, according to Google Trends.
As populations in many countries continue to skew older, bone health is becoming more important, so it’s an opportunity for manufacturers to incorporate ingredients that boost bone health into their products.
Here is a list of ingredients to prioritise.
1. Calcium-rich dairy ingredients
One of the most well-known examples of an ingredient that improves bone health is calcium.
Calcium-rich dairy ingredients, including milk, yoghurt and cheese, can also provide consumers with protein and phosphorus, explains specialist dietician Nichola Ludlam-Raine.
All of these ingredients play a role in maintaining normal bones.
Food manufacturers can incorporate milk or yoghurt powders into foods such as breakfast products, soups, snacks, sauces and even drinks. However, says Ludlam-Raine, they will need to consider the product’s saturated fat, salt and sugar content.
2. Protein-rich ingredients
Protein plays a part in maintaining both bones and muscle, says Ludlam-Raine. Strong muscles improve mobility as consumers get older, therefore reducing the likelihood of falls and, indirectly, protecting bones from being damaged.
A wide range of proteins, including dairy proteins, soya, egg, pea protein, pulses, nuts and seeds can be incorporated into food products such as soups, savoury snacks, breakfast foods and drinks.
The protein quality must be considered, as must digestibility and the amount provided per serving, says Ludlam-Raine.
3. Fortified dairy alternatives
As well as dairy itself, fortified dairy alternatives can also boost bone health, Ludlam-Raine explains.
For example, plant-based drinks and yoghurts fortified with calcium and vitamin D can prove a good option for people who don’t consume dairy.
Calcium-fortified plant-based products containing soy are “particularly useful”, as they also contain good quality protein.
Manufacturers should ensure that the fortificant – the added nutrient or ingredient – remains evenly distributed throughout the product, so that each serving contains a meaningful amount.
4. Vitamin D
Vitamin D can be useful alongside ingredients such as calcium and phosphorus, as it helps the body absorb them, says Ludlam-Raine.
It is found in foods such as egg yolks and oily fish, although naturally-occurring vitamin D is relatively rare in food.
Therefore, fortification can be useful. A vitamin D premix can be added to drinks, yoghurts, spreads and breakfast products, Ludlam-Raine explains. Stability and bioavailability should be checked throughout processing and shelf life.
5. Pulses, nuts, seeds and leafy green vegetables
We’re cheating a bit with this one – it’s not exactly a single food, but a large group of foods that are heavy with nutrients that can help bone health.
Nuts and seeds, for example, including almonds, sesame seeds, tahini and chia seeds, can provide the consumer with calcium, magnesium, phosphorus or protein.
They can be used in foods such as snack bars, cereals, breads, crackers and spreads.
Chickpeas, beans and lentils, alongside vegetables such as kale, provide a wide range of bone-supporting nutrients, says Ludlam-Raine, including magnesium and vitamin K.
Pulses can be incorporated into savoury snacks, soups, sauces, baked goods and ready meals. Leafy greens can be used in sauces, soups and vegetable-based meals.
Combining nutrients
Products that improve bone health cannot rely on a single ‘hero’ ingredient, explains Ludlam-Raine, but must consider the overall nutritional package.
“Bones are living tissue and require a combination of calcium, vitamin D, protein and several other micronutrients.”
As such, it is important to consider ingredients in the context of food itself.
According to Ludlam-Raine, “from a manufacturing perspective, the strongest products will combine several complementary nutrients – for example, calcium and vitamin D alongside adequate protein, while still having a balanced overall nutritional profile.”
In short, no single ingredient can be considered in isolation, but only alongside other nutrients and within the overall food.