When women think about bone health, they think calcium. Milk, yoghurt, perhaps a supplement. Protein rarely comes up.

Yet protein is one of the most overlooked nutrients for bone, and many of the women I see aren't eating enough of it, particularly earlier in the day.

Your bones have a protein framework
Bone isn't just a block of minerals. It has a flexible framework made mostly of collagen, a protein, and minerals such as calcium are laid down on that framework. Think of scaffolding with concrete poured over it. Calcium matters, but it needs something to build on.

Protein supports the muscle that loads your bones
Every time you walk, climb stairs or lift something, your muscles are pulling on your skeleton. That load is a signal for bone to stay strong. Around the menopause, as oestrogen falls, we also tend to lose muscle mass, so protecting your muscle protects the signal your bones receive. It's one reason eating enough protein and doing strength training work so well together. Protein gives your body the raw materials, and exercise tells it what to do with them.

The timing problem
Here's a pattern I see often: a light breakfast, a salad for lunch, then a large dinner. Most of the day's protein arrives in one sitting. Spreading protein through the day gives your body a steadier supply. As a rough guide, many women should aim for around 25 to 30g of protein per meal, though your own needs depend on your size, activity and health, which is where a personalised assessment can help.

Easy ways to get there
• Breakfast: eggs on wholegrain toast, or Greek yoghurt with seeds and berries
• Lunch: chicken or lentil salad, or a bean and vegetable soup with cottage cheese or tofu
• Dinner: a tofu stir-fry, fish, or lean meat with plenty of vegetables
• Snacks: a handful of nuts with a pot of yoghurt, or hummus with vegetable sticks

Breakfast is usually the easiest meal to fix, so start there.

Protein is only part of the picture
Bones also need calcium, vitamin D, vitamin K2 and magnesium, regular strength and impact exercise, and enough overall food in the form of an anti-inflammatory diet. No single element does all the work alone.

Where to start
If you'd like to know whether your own diet is pulling its weight, my Nutrition Audit (£95) looks at what you eat, your lifestyle and your risk factors, then gives you clear, practical next steps.

Or for my free handout on a week's worth of protein-rich breakfasts get in touch!