Doctors in one study measured the diets and bone mineral density (BMD) in 3,000 perimenopausal women. On average, the women consumed 307 mg of flavonoids per day.
Flavonoids, or bioflavonoids, are the colorful antioxidant pigments found in citrus and other fruits, tea and dark chocolate.
Women who consumed the most flavonoids had the highest BMD and the fewest signs of bone breakdown in the blood.
Reference: Journal of Bone and Mineral Research; 2010, November 18, Electronic Prepublication