The Healthy Bones Plant-Based Nutrition Plan and Cookbook: How to Prepare and Combine Plant Foods to Maintain Optimal Bone Density and Prevent Osteoporosis

by Dr. Laura Kelly, Helen Kelly, Jummee Park

A unique nutritional guide and cookbook—with over 100 delicious recipes—that can help both women and men of any age maintain optimal bone density and prevent osteoporosis. Can you have healthy bones while following a diet of more, mostly, or entirely plants? Is lower bone density an inescapable price even young people must pay for choosing plant foods? Dr. Laura Kelly, a specialist in precision medicine for bone health, hears these questions from patients and colleagues who cite studies showing that as a group, vegetarians and vegans can have lower bone density than do people who eat animal food. In The Healthy Bones Plant-Based Nutrition Plan and Cookbook, Dr. Kelly puts these questions to rest, offering readers the same expert guidance she provides to her patients who are on a plant-forward or vegetarian diet, ensuring they have a plan to meet their nutritional needs for healthy bones or working toward reversal of bone loss. She explains why people on plant-forward, vegetarian, or vegan diets sometimes struggle with low bone density; identifies the environmental factors that can influence bone health; and explains how to minimize the risks while setting out the steps anyone can take to restore, improve, and maintain bone density. As the authors of The Healthy Bones Nutrition Plan and Cookbook, Laura and Helen Kelly specialize in explaining science to nonscientists, and this book is a must-have for anyone who is giving plant foods a bigger share—or a full share—of their daily diet. The authors guide readers to learn about the wide variety of plant foods and how to select, prepare, and cook with them, as well as best food combinations in order to achieve optimum bone health. The Healthy Bones Plant-Based Nutrition Plan and Cookbook breaks new ground by Complete information on the abundant nutrition that plant foods offer and an explanation of how plant foods alone can help to strengthen the skeleton. An explanation of exciting research discoveries regarding gene expression and the use of genetic testing to help those struggling with bone loss. The new sciences of nutrigenetics and nutrigenomics allow practitioners to understand how a patient’s genetic profile contributes to bone density and how detailed nutrient and food prescriptions can either prevent or treat osteoporosis in an elegant and efficient way. The reasons why bone strength and density decline with age, and the type of nutrient interventions that can help restore turnover balance. How to meet and overcome the challenges to nutrient bioavailability posed by choosing a fully plant-based life. A discussion of the A to Z of bioavailability of nutrients most important for bone health, from calcium to Vitamin K2, and how to release the nutrients in plant foods from the antinutrients that can lock them in undigestible forms. Over 100 recipes created by gifted vegetarian chef Jummee Park that feature delicious and diverse combinations of vegetables, fruits, grains, mushrooms, nuts, beans, seeds, edible flowers, and spices. Tips on establishing a pantry and several example meal plans. How to use an online nutrition calculator to craft your own delicious plant combinations that supply needed amounts of complete protein, iron, and vitamins A and B12 for whole nutrition.   The Healthy Bones Plant-Based Nutrition Plan and Cookbook is a unique nutritional guide and cookbook that can help both women and men of any age maintain optimal bone density and prevent osteoporosis on a plant-based, vegetarian, or vegan diet. The book’s full presentation of the science of bone health, along with a generous helping of recipes, follows the example of the Kellys’ first book to inspire confidence in and enthusiasm for making the changes required to embrace food as medicine for bones.

Genres: Cookbooks, Nutrition

320 pages, Paperback

Published September 5, 2024

Reviews

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am not planning to become a vegetarian (or vegan) any time soon, but it is widely acknowledged these days that there are nutritional (and environmental) advantages to pursuing a more plant-based diet, so I am always looking for new and interesting ways to do this as part of making healthy choices.

My interest was particularly piqued by this book, The Healthy Bones Plant-Based Nutrition Plan And Cookbook, because it also promises to offer sound advice about not only incorporating tasty plant-based foods into your diet, but also finding a way to maintain optimal bone density at the same time - something that is more and more of interest to me as I have got older and begun thinking about staving off the dangers of osteoporosis.

It is worth noting off the bat that this is a book intended primarily for an American audience, so its references and the language used are trans-Atlantic (as are the recipes it includes). I did not find this an issue, although there are obviously certain adjustments to be made if you are using the book in the UK, as I was. It is beautifully produced by Chelsea Green, with full colour illustrations throughout, and is very tactile - something I always enjoy in a cookery book.

So, what does this book offer the person keen to get to grips with how plant-based nutrition can transform your diet, and your health in terms of content?

What struck me straightaway is that this book really does offer a lot of comprehensive information and advice about the science around bones, bone health, nutrition and the relationship between plant-based foods and a healthy body. In fact almost the first third of the book concerns itself with almost a text book level of information, which seems a little daunting at first, but although some of it may be on the technical side for the lay-person, the style is engaging and informative. Everything you need to think about when pursuing a healthy plant-based diet while caring for your bones is presented for your consideration, with a leaning towards Chinese medicine (natural given the background of Dr Laura Kelly). I particularly liked that is includes personal information about the authors and their own experiences with diet, lifestyle, and bone density issues too. It is all very reassuring, and well thought out.

What about the recipes?

The rest of the book is all about food to make your taste-buds zing, and this is where food and wellness consultant Jummee Park takes the reins.

This section begins with a general introduction to equipment and basic pantry items, and then proceeds on a gentle journey through some really interesting recipes from juices and smoothies, through soups, breads, salads, main meals, side dishes, and desserts - ending with seasonal meal plans for the dedicated plant-based cook.

Several recipes jumped out to me as ones I wanted to try on a first reading, which is always a good sign, and I was itching to get cooking...

So, which recipes proved to be a hit? I tried a good selection throughout the book, and particularly liked the Mushroom and Cashew Pate, the Broccoli-Potato-Leek Soup, the Tomato Soup With Basil And Capers, the Cauliflower Steak With Moroccan Spices, the Sweet Potato Boats With Creamy Spinach, and the Rainbow Veggie Frittata With Feta. Each one was a tasty delight and looked good on the plate too.

What did I think overall?

As an experienced cook, I would say that you do require a good level of cookery knowledge to tackles these recipes, so if you are beginner I would suggest this is not going to be the right option for you (especially given the American recipes).

Some require specialist ingredients that might be tricky to find in your local supermarket, so access to a wholefoods store is recommended. However, since I am not a vegetarian or vegan I simply substituted ingredients where necessary - particularly when it came to including dairy where non-dairy, plant-based ingredients were called for. Again, you should find this easy to do if you are an experienced cook - there is always room for experimenting with your cooking!

I think it is fair to say that there is a definite New Age/modern twist to the content, which I really enjoyed. It made me think a lot about ingredients and their nutritional content, as well as flavour and presentation, which is a good thing - it is very easy to fall into a rut into the kitchen, and this is definitely a book that pushes you out of your comfort zone.

This book will make a valuable addition to my cookbook collection, and I can definitely see myself picking it up again when a plant-based feast is called for, especially one which is good for your bones too!

[Dray · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well put together book. Nice science. Healthy and delicious recipes.