Boron is an important element that’s most often found in fruits, beans, and other plant-based foods. It’s considered a micronutrient, which means that your body only needs a small amount of it daily to function.
On its own, boron is a dark silver metalloid. In food, it’s most often found as a part of key biomolecules. Your body breaks down these biomolecules and uses the boron in many important processes.
While you can get boron supplements, most people can get more than enough boron from their diet as long as they are eating fruits and vegetables. The generally accepted range for boron consumption is 1 to 13 milligrams daily.
Getting enough boron in your diet has been shown to help improve your metabolism, your bone health, and your hormone levels.
Why You Need Boron
Your body can’t produce boron. It’s more like a building block than a ready-to-use tool. You need to get boron from your diet instead of making it.
Currently, science doesn’t consider it “essential,” because studies have not found significant problems caused by boron deficiencies. However, getting boron in your diet does appear to have benefits.
Boron has shown to improve the function of several body systems, including:
Boron appears to help you form stronger, healthier bones. Getting at least one milligram of boron a day may help improve your body’s ability to make the compounds that put your cells together, including your bones.
Boron seems to help your body absorb and use magnesium more effectively.
Magnesium is critical to how your body metabolizes carbohydrates, to the point where magnesium deficiencies can make insulin resistance worse. As a result, getting enough boron can help boost your metabolism and improve your blood glucose levels.
Boron may be important for maintaining the appropriate amounts of testosterone and estrogen response in the body. Getting enough boron helps keep these important signaling hormones balanced and may even reduce your risk of certain cancers.
Foods Rich in Boron
Boron can be found in a number of foods, but it’s most common in plants. Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can help you get enough boron to experience the benefits it offers.
These eight foods are some of the best sources of boron available:
1. Prune Juice
Prune juice is one of the easiest sources of boron available. One cup of prune juice offers as much as 1.43 milligrams of boron per serving. This is likely due to the condensed nature of the juice. A single serving of prune juice can therefore fulfill your daily requirement of boron easily.
2.Raw Avocado
Another high-boron food is raw avocado. In general, avocado is nutritionally dense. A half-cup serving of raw avocado contains as much as 1.07 milligrams of boron, which exceeds the recommended daily minimum.
3.Raisins
Grapes are generally high in boron. As they’re made from grapes, raisins are similarly high in boron, but you can get the same amount of the element in less volume. One and a half ounces of raisins can offer up to 0.95 milligrams of boron, almost meeting the recommended minimum intake for one day.
4.Peaches
If you’re looking for something a little bit sweeter, consider peaches. They are an excellent source of boron. A single medium-sized peach may contain as much as 0.80 milligrams of the element. Two peaches is more than enough to get your daily boron requirement.
5.Peanuts
Many nuts are rich in boron, but peanuts are particularly good. One ounce of peanuts contains about 0.48 milligrams of boron, almost half of what you should be getting from your diet daily. Peanut butter is similarly rich, with two tablespoons offering about 0.46 milligrams of boron.
6.Apples
Eating apples and drinking apple juice are great ways to maintain healthy levels of daily boron intake. A medium-sized apple has about 0.66 milligrams of boron, while a cup of apple juice has 0.45 milligrams. An apple a day may actually help you keep the doctor away.
7.Broccoli
You can get boron from your greens, as well. Boiled broccoli can offer up to 0.40 milligrams of boron per cup. Adding more broccoli to your diet is often a good choice, but its boron content may be a good additional reason to do so.
8.Coffee
While coffee isn’t particularly high in boron, it is a major source of the element for many people. A cup of coffee contains only about 0.07 milligrams of boron, but for people who drink multiple cups a day, that quickly adds up.
