Recommended Daily Intake of Boron
No recommended dietary allowance has been established. However, research shows more than 3 mg per day is needed to guarantee health benefits.
The U.S Department of Agriculture, however, recommends the following for the Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (UL) of boron. UL is used to caution against excessive intake of nutrients that can be harmful in large amounts. The UL is considered to be the highest level of daily nutrient intake to be safe or cause no side effects (in 97.5% of healthy individuals in each sex group and life-stage).
| Age, Pregnanycy or Lactation | Upper Limit of Boron |
| 1 – 3 years old | 3 mg / day |
| 4 – 8 years old | 6 mg / day |
| 9 – 13 years old | 11 mg / day |
| 14 – 18 years old | 17 mg / day |
| 19 – 50 years old | 20 mg / day |
| Pregnant women (over 18 years old) | 17 – 20 mg / day |
| Breastfeeding women (over 18 years old | 20 – 25 mg / day |
Boron is a trace mineral that plays a role in a variety of health mechanisms. Some of the best plant-based food sources of boron are dried fruit, nuts, veggies
Top nutrient-dense foods with boron
Let’s dive into each of these foods and see why they’re so beneficial to your bone and overall health and how easy it is to obtain naturally from your diet:
1. Raisins, 4.51 mg of Boron/ 100 g
Another demonstration that Mother knows best! Your mom may have put tiny red raisin boxes in your elementary school lunch. In addition to being potassium-rich, raisins are high in fiber, magnesium, and iron.
2. Almonds, 2.82 mg of Boron/ 100 g
King Tut chose almonds to take to his grave in 1352 B.C. And for good reason. He believed they’d sustain him on his journey to the afterlife. Almonds are full of boron, magnesium, and phosphorus. So almonds are excellent for us on THIS life journey. They help build and maintain strong teeth and bones.
3. Hazelnuts, 2.77 mg of Boron/ 100 g
First Nations people in North America have a rich tradition of healing with nuts, berries, and roots. It’s said that they would brew tea with hazelnuts to treat hives and fever. Rich in magnesium, hazelnuts also increase bone mass. So they can contribute to osteoporosis prevention and treatment.
4. Dried Apricots, 2.11 mg of Boron/ 100 g
During the drying process, some vitamins such as vitamin C are lost. But the GREAT news is that other nutrients become more concentrated (proteins and minerals, including calcium and zinc for your bones). Eat this dried fruit and you’ll get 4x more energy than from fresh fruit. Be careful not to eat too much, as it expands in your tummy.
5. Brazil Nuts, 1.72 mg of Boron/ 100 g
While they’re technically seeds, we’ll call them nuts like everyone else does! Eat these raw or blanched to get their full benefit. The oil tastes wonderful drizzled on a salad, and the oil has many of the same nutrients as the flesh. High in minerals (especially selenium) brazil nuts may reduce inflammation. Eating one or two brazil nuts per day is actually plenty – and more is not necessary as it may put you above the recommended daily amount…and in some cases cause toxicity.
6. Walnuts, 1.63 mg of Boron/ 100 g
If they were good enough for the ancient Roman gods… they’re good enough for us! To get 95% of the RDA of omega 3 fatty acids, just eat 1/4 cup of walnuts. Due to the anti-inflammatory nature of EFAs (essential fatty acids), walnuts benefit cardiovascular health, cognitive functions, skin and hair, blood pressure, adrenal and thyroid activity, and even blood clotting.
7. Red Kidney Beans, 1.4 mg of Boron/ 100 g
Mineral-rich and low in fat, a half-cup serving will give you roughly 7-8 grams of protein. You’ll also get iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium, and more. The best news is that kidney beans may reduce inflammation. Beans do contain a substance called phytates that may interfere with the absorption of calcium. However, you can reduce the phytates in beans by soaking them in water for a few hours and then cooking them in fresh water.
8. Prunes, 1.18 mg of Boron/ 100 g
Grandma used to give us prunes to help with bowel movements. But prune juice is also a good source of potassium. In fact, you can get 707 mg in just one cup of the fruit or juice! But there’s more than digestive benefits: Prunes also benefit osteoporosis and bone health. Prunes are rich in bone-friendly nutrients like copper, vitamin K, and of course– boron. In fact, they have such a nice combination of these nutrients that scientists are noticing the impact on bone mineral density. A recent study showed a group of osteopenic women eating prunes for 1 year had “significantly” higher bone mineral density in the ulna and lumbar spine than those eating dried apple at the same time.
9. Raw Cashew Nuts, 1.15 mg of Boron/ 100 g
Never mind the fat content– the nutrition in cashews more than makes up for it. Significant amounts of calcium, magnesium, and potassium all help to prevent bone loss. Yet, even more, minerals like calcium, together with vitamin K, help shield you against bone fractures and osteoporosis.
10. Dates, 1.08 mg of Boron/ 100 g
Dried dates are chewy, sweet and oh so healthy! Use dried dates in baking instead of refined sugar. They are just as sweet, tastier, and create awesome texture. They’re good on their own too. More exciting is the high amount of minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, and more. Excellent for your bones and even bowel movements!
11. Lentils, 0.74 mg of Boron/ 100 g
A Sicilian superstition says to eat lentils on New Year’s Eve for good luck and fortune. But to truly benefit, keep eating lentils for the rest of the year. That’s because lentils are rich in nutrients, and especially B vitamins, iron, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. No wonder they symbolize wealth! Lentils can help in calcium absorption and reinforce bone integrity.
12. Chickpeas, 0.71 mg of Boron/ 100 g
Vegetarians value chickpeas- the main ingredient in falafel- which is known as a source of protein. But you can benefit from many other nutrients too. For example, minerals like iron, calcium, magnesium and vitamin K all help build and maintain bones.
13. Peaches, 0.52 mg of Boron/ 100 g
Your jaw bone’s connected to your… peaches? Concentrated phosphorous in peaches helps strengthen bones, including your jaw bone. Phosphorus works with calcium to keep your bones strong, possibly preventing osteoporosis.
14. Celery, 0.5 mg of Boron/ 100 g
Celery is known as a crunchy, low-calorie vegetable. However, it’s also rich in vitamin K, boron, and molybdenum – a nutrient that has been associated with longevity.
15. Red Grapes, 0.5 mg of Boron/ 100 g
The market price of copper spiked so high a few years ago that thieves started to target industrial copper from public places. But a better way to get rich from copper is to eat red grapes. They also contain iron and manganese. These 3 nutrients contribute to bone health.
16. Honey, 0.5 mg of Boron/ 100 g
Honey proves to be more than just a sweet treat and a healthy alternative to sugar. Research out of Purdue University shows that amino acids in honey may actually help your body absorb more calcium. This means that honey may help to prevent brittle bones.
17. Olives, 0.35 mg of Boron/ 100 g
The father of modern medicine, Hippocrates used olive oil to treat at least 60 conditions. Good on more than salads, olives are rich in antioxidants — including oleocanthal. This helps fight inflammation, which can wreak havoc in our bodies. Within a joint, it often wears down bone cartilage.
18. Red Apples, 0.32 mg of Boron/ 100 g
Turns out the adage “An apple a day…” might even protect your bones! High amounts of antioxidants, vitamin C, and other nutrients including boron are in the whole fruit (many are in or just under the skin). Experts say apples also benefit your lungs and cardiovascular system and lower the risk of asthma, stroke, cancer, and osteoporosis!
19. Pears, 0.32 mg of Boron/ 100 g
Pears are noble warriors. Here’s why: if pears could talk, their battle cry would be “we fight against 3 C’s and a K!” (chronic disease, cancer, constipation, kidney stones). They’re high in boron, vitamins C + K, phytonutrients, and fiber.
20. Broccoli, 0.31 mg of Boron/ 100 g
This delicious, versatile food is outstanding in many ways. Here’s one that’s of particular interest to us: Just one cup of broccoli contains 175 mg of calcium and is high in antioxidants. As good raw, as it is cooked, this superfood helps build bones and fight cancer.
21. Carrots, 0.3 mg of Boron/ 100 g
Raw or cooked? We used to believe we must eat most vegetables raw to get their full nutritional value. Research now shows some veggies actually increase their nutrient content when cooked. Antioxidant properties in carrots are one example. Whether raw or cooked, carrots contain a significant amount of bone-building calcium, magnesium, and phosphorous.
22. Oranges, 0.25 mg of Boron/ 100 g
A frosty glass of freshly squeezed OJ tastes sensational! But knowing what vitamins and minerals you’ll get is the best part. Vitamin C builds collagen, which in turn builds connective tissues and strong bones. What’s more, one of the bioflavonoids in orange peel extract is known to be anti-inflammatory.
23. Onions, 0.2 mg of Boron/ 100 g
Can’t stand the smell of raw onion? Cooked ones might also do wonders for your bones. Research shows a steady diet of onions for older women may decrease their risk of hip fracture by more than 20%. Another study showed GPSC (gamma-glutamyl-propenyl-cysteine sulfoxide) in onions prevents loss of calcium and other minerals.
24. Potatoes, 0.18 mg of Boron/ 100 g
Richer in protein than other roots and tubers, potatoes are rich other ways too. Besides containing several micronutrients and antioxidants, there are notable levels of vitamin C, B1, B3, and B6. Potatoes even provide bone-healthy minerals such as potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium!
25. Banana, 0.16 mg of Boron/ 100 g
In addition to containing boron, bananas are also rich in bone-healthy potassium, vitamin C, and much more.
