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As a child, you may often be advised to drink milk before bed by your parents so that you get tall quickly. Indeed, milk is a good source of calcium for bone growth. But, why should it be drunk before bed? Apparently, this has something to do with the growth of human bones at night.
Bone growth occurs at night
A deep research Journal of Pediatric Orthopedics prove that the bones will experience growth at night. The study answered the "advice" of parents who often claim that when children grow taller overnight, parents usually tell their children to drink milk before bed.
In the study, researchers placed sensors on the leg bones of lambs to monitor bone growth in the animals. Ninety percent of bone growth occurs when the animal is sleeping or resting. Researchers observed a pattern of bone growth that really only grew when the lamb was lying down or resting. Meanwhile, when the lamb stands or moves, bone growth does not increase.
This is because the cartilage between the bones gets compressed when standing, sitting or doing other activities that are done throughout the day. In the end, this can prevent the bones from growing optimally. When lying down or sleeping, the cartilage is stretched and not compressed, which makes it easy for the bones to elongate. This research also shows that growth is not something that is sustainable. This growth spurt is possible in the daily life of lambs as well as humans.
However, the speed with which the bones grow is also influenced by the nutritional intake of your daily diet.
What foods help bone growth?
Milk is a source of protein and calcium which can help bone growth. But besides milk, there are several other foods that are also beneficial for bone growth, including:
Green vegetable
There are several green vegetables that contain calcium needed by bones, such as broccoli and bokchoy. Apart from containing calcium, green vegetables also contain vitamin K, which plays a role in calcium regulation and bone formation. However, not all green leafy vegetables are good for bone growth. Like spinach, although it contains calcium, it also contains oxalic acid which can inhibit calcium absorption. It's best to avoid eating calcium and spinach at the same time.
Fruits
Several types of fruit can help with bone growth and development. Papaya, oranges, pineapples, and strawberries contain vitamin C. This vitamin C functions in the synthesis of collagen, the main protein in bones.
Red meat
Red meat contains phosphorus and magnesium which bones need. More than half of bone mass is formed by the mineral phosphorus. Phosphorus deficiency can interfere with bone mineralization. In addition, the mineral magnesium is also needed for bone formation. Magnesium can help increase bone strength and plays a role in many mineral metabolism. Other food sources that contain phosphorus are seafood, nuts, potatoes and wheat. While food sources that contain magnesium are wheat, nuts, such as almonds and cashews.
