How Not to Age: The Scientific Approach to Getting Healthier as You Get Older

by Michael Greger

In individuals sixty-five or older, the greater the estimated ratio between acid-forming foods and alkaline-forming foods, the greater the risk of hip fracture.3193 (To see which foods are which, see the figure here.) To prove cause and effect, two-year randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials were performed in which three added servings of fruits and vegetables3194 or the equivalent of six failed to have an effect, but nine daily servings of fruits’ and vegetables’ worth3195 of an alkaline-forming compound (potassium citrate) was able to successfully increase bone volume and density.3196 This shows that buffering the dietary acid load of a typical Western diet with enough fruits and vegetables may help prevent bone loss.