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Olive Oil Hunter News #188

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Potato Frittata Recipe, Spotlight on Condimento Bianco Senape and Blackcurrants, Steaming Potatoes, and A Surprising Benefit of Exercise for Women

Autumn is a wonderful time to get together with family and friends, and what better way than over brunch? If you’re looking for a simple yet satisfying dish, my potato frittata fits the bill. It features Condimento Bianco Senape, a unique vinegar in my brand new collection of artisanal vinegars from the T. J. Robinson Curated Culinary Selections. Sweet, fragrant, and with a hint of mustard, it’s crafted in the style of a fine Italian balsamic (read below to learn why there’s actually no such thing as “white balsamic”). You’ve never tasted anything like it before—get ready to fall in love! 

Also in this issue…I’m sharing fascinating research on blackcurrants, a powerful member of the berry family that might hold the answer to protecting women’s bones in midlife and beyond. Keep reading and you’ll also find out about a surprising benefit of exercise.

Potato Frittata

  • Potato Frittata Potato Frittata

    Elegant enough for a brunch party, this egg-and-potato dish is also easy enough for a casual weekend breakfast. The potatoes can be steamed a day or two in advance.

    Ingredients

    • 1 pound red potatoes
    • 8 eggs
    • 2 ounces freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
    • 2 tablespoons milk
    • 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
    • Coarse sea salt
    • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
    • 1 large leek, twiced rinsed, trimmed of the tough, dark green ends, and sliced into 1/4-inch discs
    • 2 tablespoons Condimento Bianco Senape, plus more for drizzling

    Directions

    Step 1

    Cut the potatoes into 1/4-inch slices. Steam them on a steamer rack over simmering water until tender, about 25 minutes. 

    Step 2

    In a bowl, whisk the eggs until no whites show, then whisk in the cheese, milk, black pepper, and 1 teaspoon salt until well combined. 

    Step 3

    Heat a 14-inch skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the olive oil and the leeks. Sprinkle with a big pinch of salt and sauté until the leeks soften and turn light brown, about 10 minutes. Layer on the potato slices, overlapping them a bit. Pour on the egg mixture. Cover the pan and cook without disturbing over medium heat until the eggs firm up, about 8 minutes. Drizzle on the vinegar, cover the pan again, and remove from heat. Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing into wedges. Drizzle each portion with more olive oil and vinegar.

    Yields 4 servings

Healthy Ingredient Spotlight: Condimento Bianco Senape 

Healthy Ingredient Spotlight

Condimento Bianco Senape 

Condimento Bianco Senape, or White Condiment with Mustard

I want to set the record straight—“white balsamic” is not a recognized type of vinegar in Italy. That’s because, by its very nature, balsamic vinegar must be made solely with grape must (grape juice made from all parts of the grapes) that naturally darkens to its signature purple-brown color. That being said, my new Condimento Bianco Senape, or White Condiment with Mustard, is reminiscent of a fine balsamic because it’s crafted in the perfect ratio of two parts white cooked grape must to one part white wine vinegar by the amazing vinegar producers known for their balsamic vinegars, Società Agricola Acetomodena in Modena, Italy. Both the grape must and wine vinegar are made solely from Acemodena’s own Trebbiano grapes, which give it its unique light color, and not their Lambrusco ones, which give traditional balsamic its deep color. 

The idea for creating a complex, mustard-seed infused white wine vinegar in the sweet style of balsamic came from Patrizia Vecchi, the wife of Acetomodena owner Paolo Vecchi. She was inspired by the ancient Roman cooking technique of using a white vinegar along with honey and mustard to get a delicious crust on spit-roasted pork. The white mustard seeds, which are entirely edible, add a subtle layer of flavor to my Condimento Bianco Senape that would be lost in a traditional balsamic. 

You’ll use this mustard vinegar to effortlessly create a rich and silky vinaigrette just by whisking in fresh-pressed olive oil and a bit of salt and pepper. I love its sweetness yet will also blend it with other vinegars when I want a bit more tartness. Use it as a marinade for poultry, pork, and fish. Drizzle it on steak and burgers, gourmet sandwiches with prosciutto and other meats, bruschetta with tomatoes, fresh salads like rocket with pine nuts and a drizzle of honey, and my eggless Caesar salad which along with the potato frittata are just two of the many recipes included in the Vinegar Report that comes with the collection. 

Quick Kitchen Nugget: Steaming Potatoes

Quick Kitchen Nugget

Steaming Potatoes

Steaming potatoes keeps them from falling apart and preserves more of their nutrients than boiling. Simply scrub and slice or cube your potatoes and arrange them in a steamer basket set over two inches of simmering water in a stockpot. You can load the basket with two layers of potatoes, but try to keep some space between the pieces for the steam to get through. The potatoes are done when the tip of a knife easily pierces the flesh; start checking after 25 minutes.

For Your Best Health: Blackcurrants for Better Bones?

For Your Best Health

Blackcurrants for Better Bones?

Research done at the University of Connecticut (UConn) has identified blackcurrants, a tart berry known in French foods and liqueurs as cassis, as a potential way of countering the bone density loss experienced by women in the years surrounding menopause. 

For many years, Ock Chun, PhD, MPH, professor of nutritional sciences in UConn’s College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources (CAHNR), has been investigating the berry’s potential to ameliorate a host of conditions including postmenopausal bone loss and osteoporosis. One of her previous studies showed that in mice, blackcurrant supplements helped prevent bone density loss postmenopause, and that the best time to start taking these supplements is in the transition between pre- and postmenopause, before bone loss has significantly progressed. With these findings in hand, Chun and her team wanted to see whether the benefits would translate to people. The new study, published in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, found that the supplements prevented the loss of, and in some cases even increased, whole-body bone mineral density in women.

Blackcurrants

The study involved 40 perimenopausal and early postmenopausal participants between the ages of 45 and 60. They were randomly assigned to take either one or two capsules of blackcurrant powder (392 milligrams per capsule) or a placebo daily for six months. The researchers found that the supplements prevented the loss of whole-body bone mineral density and that the group of participants who took two capsules a day actually showed overall increases in bone mineral density at the end of the six-month trial period.

The researchers looked at changes to the gut microbiome and immune system, which interact to play a key role in bone metabolism. They found that the blackcurrant supplements decreased levels of proteins called interleukin-1 beta and RANKL. Interleukin-1 beta stimulates the expression of RANKL, which causes bone resorption and thus a decrease in bone density. “The reduction in RANKL is important because that can cause shifts toward excessive bone resorption, so we’d want to see a decrease in that,” said graduate student Briana Nosal, first author of the paper.

Taking the supplements also increased Ruminococcus 2, bacteria found in the gut microbiome that help degrade polysaccharides and fibers. This is a key function that transforms the foods we eat into energy. This led the researchers to infer that it could be one of the bacteria driving the protective effects blackcurrant has on bones. “It’s all related, and there’s a lot of research showing the gut can regulate various systems in the body,” Nosal said.

The researchers identified a total of four proteins that had increased expression in the group of participants who took two daily supplement capsules. These could serve as potential biomarkers for the changes in bone density that they observed and potentially allow researchers or medical professionals to quickly and easily assess whether the blackcurrant supplementation is benefiting bone density.

This study is especially important for perimenopausal and early postmenopausal women who have or are at risk of developing osteoporosis. While medications for osteoporosis do exist, compliance is low due because of side effects. If a blackcurrant supplement can improve bone density without the same side effects, it could prove to be an effective alternative.

As the research team continues to study the relationship between blackcurrant and its benefits to the body, they’ll try to better understand why exactly they’re seeing these results and “how all our findings connect to each other,” Nosal said. “Conducting that multifaceted research will really paint the picture of how everything works, the different mechanisms, and what we can do for next steps.”

Fitness Flash

A surprising Benefit of Exercise for Women

Recent research led by Donald S. Wright, MD, MHS, of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Yale School of Medicine and published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that sticking with an exercise program is linked to older women staying out of the hospital.

This retrospective study evaluated 718 older adults with a mean age of 69.5; three-quarters were women. The researchers compared the outcomes of those who participated in a structured, individualized exercise training program at a privately owned gym in their community for at least three months (411 participants) to the outcomes of those who did not. The structured program consisted of guided sessions of cardiovascular, strength, and flexibility training monitored by exercise physiologists. Participants completed a baseline physical assessment and quarterly reassessments of physical performance including measuring vital signs, strength (bicep curl or grip strength), mobility (as measured by the ability to easily go from sitting to standing), balancing on one leg, and aerobic capacity. These data were paired with regional hospital data and a national mortality database. Participants were followed for over two years. 

When the researchers compared outcomes of older adults who participated in the exercise program with outcomes of those who did not, they found that the risk for all-cause hospitalization was 46 percent lower among the women in the exercise program. Surprisingly, this benefit was not seen among the men. 

The researchers pointed out that the study doesn’t establish cause and effect between exercise and not needing healthcare, just a link, albeit a positive one for women. It’s also not known whether the people who dropped out of the structured exercise program exercised independently, potentially narrowing the observed differences between the groups. They also warned that participants may not be fully representative of the broader US population because they were all from one area of the country and had all been motivated to sign up for the gym program on their own.

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The Olive Oil Hunter News #113

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe, Spotlight on Broccoli, Immersion Blender 101, How to Overcome Excuses for Not Exercising and Mastering Functional Fitness

Winter is a time of year when a thick and hearty broccoli soup can easily be dinner. Make a large batch, and you’ll have enough for a lunch or two as well. Winter is also when most of us need a little extra motivation to exercise. I’m sharing ideas as well as one aspect of fitness that may be new to you.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

  • Brocoli Cheddar Soup Broccoli Cheddar Soup

    This is a popular item at restaurants and the soup station at supermarkets, yet so often tastes gummy. My recipe is chunky and creamy at the same time, thanks to a simple roux technique and not over-blending.  

    Ingredients

    • 7 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling
    • 1 large sweet onion, about 12 ounces, finely chopped
    • 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
    • Coarse salt 
    • 2 pounds broccoli, trimmed and cut into small florets (slice stems into discs)
    • 1/4 cup white whole wheat flour
    • 3 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
    • 2 cups milk
    • 10 ounces sharp or very sharp white cheddar cheese, grated
    • Freshly ground black pepper to taste

    Directions

    Step 1

    Heat a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed stockpot over medium heat. When hot, add 3 tablespoons of olive oil, the onions, and garlic. Add a pinch of salt to help the onions sweat. Sauté until soft, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add the broccoli and cook until it turns a brighter green, about 10 minutes, stirring often. Use a large slotted spoon to transfer all the veggies to a large bowl next to your cooktop.  

    Step 2

    Add the rest of the olive oil to the pot along with the flour and stir vigorously for 2 minutes to make a roux and cook the flour. Whisk in the broth, a half-cup at a time, letting the mixture come to a boil before adding the next half-cup. Repeat the technique with the milk and then stir in 8 ounces of the cheese. When smooth, add back in the vegetables. Continue to cook, partly covered, at a low simmer for 30 minutes or until the broccoli is tender. Stir occasionally to make sure all the broccoli gets submerged.

    Step 3

    Using an immersion blender or working in batches with a standard blender, blend the soup, stopping short of a full purée. Taste and season as desired with salt and pepper. Garnish servings with the rest of the grated cheddar and a drizzle of olive oil.

    Yields 8 to 10 servings

Food Pairings: The Power of Purple Potatoes

Healthy Ingredient Spotlight

Broccoli’s Bounty

Broccoli is on nearly every top 10 list of healthy foods, and science is still uncovering more of its benefits. Beyond its impressive list of vitamins and minerals, broccoli, like other cruciferous vegetables, has a phytochemical—or plant-based compound—called sulforaphane. Since the early 1990s, over 3,000 lab studies and over 50 clinical trials have looked at sulforaphane’s role in cancer prevention and even in cancer treatment. According to a review of research on broccoli and broccoli sprouts published in the journal Molecules, sulforaphane’s anti-inflammatory properties also show promise for easing arthritis and asthma, managing diabetes more effectively, and improving fatty liver disease. 

Healthy Ingredient Spotlight: Sweet spices for savory dishes

Quick Kitchen Nugget

Immersion Blender 101

I love a handheld cordless immersion blender for puréeing foods without having to transfer them to a standing blender or food processor. But not all models have the same power as those countertop workhorses. To make yours more effective, try these tips:

  • Precut any solid foods you’ll be blending into 2″ pieces or smaller.

  • Be sure any cooked foods are tender before blending.

  • The food to be blended should come at least an inch above the blade, and the blade should always be submerged, even when working it up and down. 

  • When using the immersion blender to homogenize small amounts of liquids for salad dressings or sauces, use a tall measuring cup if your appliance didn’t come with a special container.

Healthy Kitchen Nugget: The Truth About Nondairy Milks

For Your Best Health

How to Overcome Excuses for Not Exercising 

As many benefits as exercise has, people find even more excuses for not working out. Here’s some motivation from NIH’s National Institute on Aging:

No time? Get up a few minutes earlier and exercise first thing or combine physical activity with a task that’s already part of your day, like starting to walk to work.

Too boring? The only way to stick with a plan is to do activities you really enjoy. Also, try new types of exercise to keep it interesting.

Too expensive? All you need is a pair of comfortable, nonskid shoes to start walking and, for upper body strength training, your own body weight for moves like pushups or a pair of filled water bottles.

Too tired? That’s another reason to exercise early in the day when you have more energy. Plus, regular, moderate physical activity can help reduce fatigue.

Not convinced? Take a few seconds to read this list of exercise benefits whenever you need a little impetus to get going:

  • A lower risk of chronic conditions, like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and some cancers

  • Easier weight control

  • Better cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness

  • A lower risk of falling and better bone density

  • A lower risk of depression

  • Improved cognitive function and sleep quality

Healthy Kitchen Nugget: The Value of Variety

Fitness Flash

Mastering Functional Fitness

Your fitness and mobility levels are important signs of independence. They’re often assessed by what’s called functional fitness, the ability to carry out activities of daily living, or ADLs—being able to care for yourself, go shopping, get on and off the sofa with ease, and so on. Building and maintaining functional fitness is key to moving with ease now and staying mobile as you age. 

There are seven important movements we all draw on for those ADLs: pushing, pulling, squatting, lunging, hinging, rotating, and balancing. Doing exercises that use those movements will make it easier to handle all your daily tasks. Many common strength training moves, like pushups and chest presses, pullups and rows, squats, wall sits, and lunges, replicate them exactly. Kettlebell swings and twists mimic hinging. Some core exercises, like the woodchopper and working with a medicine ball, help with rotation. And there are many moves to improve balance, like sidestepping and heel-to-toe walking. If you’re new to any of these exercises or want tailored guidance, consider scheduling a session with a personal trainer.

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Fresh-pressed extra virgin olive oil provides multiple health benefits

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Polyphenol-rich extra virgin olive oil, on its own and as part of the well-studied Mediterranean Diet, has demonstrated significant positive effects on the body and mind.

Heart: Consuming more than 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil a day translates to a “14% lower risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and 18% lower risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). Replacing 5 grams a day of margarine, butter, mayonnaise, or dairy fat with the equivalent amount of olive oil was associated with 5% to 7% lower risk of total CVD and CHD.”1

Brain: The Mediterranean Diet has positive effects for “both cognitively impaired and unimpaired older populations, especially on their memory, both in the short and long run.” Plus, boosting the diet with additional intake of foods “such as extra-virgin olive oil…might have a more significant impact on the improvement of cognitive performance among seniors.”2

Gut: EVOO lowers levels of bad bacteria and stimulates good bacteria: “The gut microbiota and health of the intestinal environment are now considered important factors in the development of obesity, metabolic disease, and even certain neurodegenerative conditions via the gut-brain axis. Recently, data are emerging which demonstrate that the health-promoting benefits of EVOO may also extend to the gut microbiota.”3

Biological Aging & Bone: People who stick more closely to the Mediterranean Diet “are on average almost 1 year biologically younger than their chronological age, as compared to those with low adherence,” thanks to its polyphenol-rich foods like extra virgin olive oil. Polyphenols are also linked with higher bone mineral density. “In particular, high consumption of extra-virgin olive oil leads to lower risk of osteoporosis-related fractures.”4

Skin: Olive oil works well in beauty formulas and may enhance your skin because it “provides a safe and stable emulsion delivery system. The antioxidant activity of olives makes them a candidate for moderating the effects of the aging process on the skin by limiting biochemical consequences of oxidation.” Simple translation: It seems to help guard against the ravages of the environment.5

References:

  1. Guasch-Ferré, M., et al. “Olive Oil Consumption and Cardiovascular Risk in U.S. Adults.” Journal of the American College of Cardiology, April 2020; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2020.02.036.
  2. Klimova, B. et al. “The Effect of Mediterranean Diet on Cognitive Functions in the Elderly Population.” Nutrients, June 2021; doi: 10.3390/nu13062067.
  3. Millman, JF, et al. “Extra-Virgin Olive Oil and the Gut-Brain Axis: Influence on Gut Microbiota, Mucosal Immunity, and Cardiometabolic and Cognitive Health.” Nutrition Reviews, December 2021; doi: 10.1093/nutrit/nuaa148.
  4. Esposito, S., et al. “Dietary Polyphenol Intake Is Associated with Biological Aging, a Novel Predictor of Cardiovascular Disease: Cross-Sectional Findings from the Moli-Sani Study.” Nutrients, May 2021; doi: 10.3390/nu13051701.
  5. Gonçalves, S. and Gaivão, I. “Natural Ingredients Common in the Trás-os-Montes Region (Portugal) for Use in the Cosmetic Industry: A Review about Chemical Composition and Antigenotoxic Properties.” Molecules, August 2021; doi: 10.3390/molecules26175255.

The Olive Oil Hunter News #4

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Extra Virgin Fresh Pressed Olive Oil-Roasted Vegetable Platter Recipe, Spotlight on Healthy Fats, Roasting Vegetables Right, Finishing Salt and Bone Loss

As a fan of the Olive Oil Hunter, you know how I love the freshest, healthiest ingredients (including extra virgin fresh pressed olive oil) and always want to know where they come from. That pretty much explains why on any given weekend, you’re sure to find me at my local greenmarket. Seasonal is my mindset—it means planning meals around what’s available rather than hunting around to find the exact ingredients to match a recipe. That’s why I also love another great source of locally grown bounty: community-supported agriculture, or CSAs, where you buy shares of a farm’s harvest in advance (find yours at localharvest.org). I get inspired every time I open a new box of produce. 

This issue’s recipe is the perfect example of my food philosophy. Here’s why…

  • The Olive Oil Hunter Newsletter Vol. 2 Olive Oil-Roasted Vegetable Platter

    This dish brings together a rainbow mix of both familiar and exotic veggies. You can definitely make it your own by choosing from what’s available locally. Whatever you include, slow roasting brings out the flavors in each ingredient, so you get different taste sensations with every bite. Using a very wide selection of vegetables also makes this a great main dish, but you can serve it along with a protein if you wish. And if there are any leftovers, I like to add just a splash of balsamic and enjoy them cold for lunch the next day.

    Ingredients

    • 4 parsnips, trimmed, peeled and cut into 1.5″ cubes
    • 6 large carrots, trimmed, peeled and cut into 1.5″ cubes
    • 1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1.5″ chunks 
    • 4 yellow or candy stripe beets, peeled and cut into small wedges  
    • 2 bulbs fennel, trimmed and sliced into wedges
    • 2 red onions, trimmed, peeled and sliced into wedges
    • 1 sweet onion, trimmed, peeled and sliced into wedges
    • 1/2 pound sunchokes, peeled and halved
    • 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, divided
    • 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for serving
    • Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 
    • Maldon sea salt flakes for finishing

    Directions

    Step 1

    Preheat your oven to 400°F. Combine the hard vegetables—parsnips, carrots, squash and beets—in a large bowl with 1 tablespoon thyme and drizzle with 3 tablespoons olive oil. Add salt and pepper, and stir gently to coat the vegetables evenly. 

    Step 2

    Repeat in a separate bowl with the softer vegetables—the fennel, onions and sunchokes. (See more about roasting mixed vegetables in the Healthy Kitchen Nugget below.) 

    Step 3

    Tip the hard vegetables into a rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan large enough to hold them in one layer without touching; they need room to get a nice crisp on the edges. After 30 minutes, add the soft vegetables to a second baking sheet, place in the oven, and continue cooking for about another 30 minutes until all the veggies are tender in the center and caramelized. For even browning, use a spatula to occasionally turn all the veggies throughout the roasting. Transfer all the vegetables to one large serving bowl, drizzle with more olive oil if desired, and sprinkle with a few grains of the Maldon salt.

    Hint: If using traditional red beets, prepare and cook them separately to keep their bright color from transferring to other vegetables. Oil and season them in their own bowl and then roast them in a separate pan or at one end of a baking sheet.

    Yields 8 servings

Healthy Ingredient Spotlight: Fresh Pressed Olive Oil

Healthy Ingredient Spotlight

Healthy Fats: Fresh Pressed Olive Oil & Nuts

Don’t get me wrong—butter has its place. But when it comes to healthy fat, extra virgin fresh pressed olive oil can’t be beat. Nearly every week brings a new study confirming the benefits of vegetable-based fats and EVOO in particular. And make no mistake about it, fat is an essential part of the diet; among other roles, it’s needed to use the fat-soluble vitamins A, E and K in the foods you eat. Ironically, the rise in obesity in our country can be traced to the low-fat craze back in the ’90s, when the fats in packaged foods were replaced with sugars. True, the fats used in those products weren’t great, but the sugars were even worse! We now know that the mono- and polyunsaturated fats that come from healthy sources, like olives, hazelnuts, walnuts and grapeseed, make for healthy oils—“healthy fat” isn’t a fad! There’s even research published in The New England Journal of Medicine showing that eating a Mediterranean diet with extra virgin fresh pressed olive oil and nuts can significantly lower blood pressure, blood sugar and total cholesterol.

Healthy Kitchen Tip: How to Properly Roast Vegetables

Healthy Kitchen Nugget

Roasting Hard Versus Soft Veggies

Whenever you’re roasting different vegetables together, the right prep work will ensure that they all cook evenly, but make tweaks to the standard rule of thumb that states they should all be cut in the same size. That rule is true only when you’re making all one type, like root vegetables or cruciferous vegetables. When you’re roasting a mix, there are better methods. You could cut the soft ones into bigger pieces than the hard ones and roast them together. Or go for the simple option in the recipe above when you have to use two rimmed baking sheets anyway: Roast the hard veggies first, and then pop in the second sheet with the softer vegetables about 30 minutes later. Check for doneness every time you open the oven to turn them during the roasting—everyone’s oven is slightly different, and you’ll quickly learn what works best for you.

For Your Best Health: Finishing Salt

For Your Best Health

Using Finishing Salt

I love the slight crunch of a high-quality finishing salt with a noticeable texture, like Maldon. But what about the problem of too much salt in our diets? The fact is that nearly three-quarters of the salt we eat doesn’t come from the salt shaker—it’s in packaged and prepared foods, including fast food. The American Heart Association points to the top “salty six” categories to avoid: packaged breads and rolls, deli cold cuts and cured meats, pizza, canned soup, frozen breaded chicken nuggets, and burritos and tacos. So, seasoning at home isn’t the problem, and when you use coarser grains like Maldon, Himalayan sea salt from Pakistan, and Australia’s Murray River sea salt flakes, you’ll see and taste the salt more but actually use less. You’ll also get some natural minerals that are typically processed out of standard table salt (replaced instead with additives and anticaking agents). You also won’t have a problem sticking to the healthier daily max of 1,500 mg (about 2/3 teaspoon) of salt when you add just a pinch here and there.

Fitness Flash: Bone Loss in Men

Fitness Flash

Bone Loss in Men

You’ve likely heard of osteoporosis, when bones have thinned so much that you’re at a higher risk for fractures. But here’s a surprise: Bone loss doesn’t affect women only. It can happen to men, too. 

Bone loss is typically gradual, and a bone mineral density test can spot it at an early stage, when the condition is called osteopenia and there’s more time to slow it down. The test uses a special type of X-ray called DEXA that captures images of your bones’ mineral content, often at the hip and lower spine. It’s painless and takes just a few minutes. The results are given as a T-score: −1 and higher is normal, between −1.1 and −2.4 is osteopenia, and –2.5 and below is osteoporosis. 

Many health organizations suggest waiting until you’re 65 to get the test, but it should be done earlier if you have risk factors such as a history of smoking or of fracture, a thyroid condition, liver or kidney disease, a family history of osteoporosis, being tall and very thin, or taking medications that can hurt bone health like corticosteroids. Talk to your doctor about the right testing timetable for you. 

Most important of all is that you can take steps to strengthen or maintain your bones right now, no matter your age. Do 30 minutes of weight-bearing exercises, like walking or running, on most days of the week, and add twice-weekly strength training to your overall fitness program. Since both types of exercise also strengthen muscles, you’ll appreciate feeling stronger, too.

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