8 foods that everyone over the age of 50 should eat
Nutrition requires little extra attention as you get older, in part because the risk of disease increases with age, as does bone and muscle loss. Add these foods to your day to boost your health.
Show key points
- As people age, nutritional needs change due to increased risks of diseases, muscle loss, and bone deterioration, making diet adjustments essential.
- Beetroot enhances blood flow, potentially supports brain function and helps manage blood pressure, thanks to its high nitrate content.
- Whey protein is a convenient, high-quality supplement that can help slow age-related muscle loss and boost antioxidant levels in the body through glutathione production.
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- Beans and legumes are fiber-rich, plant-based foods that support heart health and lower the risk of chronic conditions like diabetes and high cholesterol with age.
- Lycopene in cooked tomatoes may protect the skin from sun damage and signs of aging, making tomato-based dishes a smart dietary choice.
- Mushrooms exposed to sunlight offer vitamin D, supporting bone health and helping manage menopausal symptoms such as low bone density in older women.
- Foods like chia seeds, grapes, and Greek yogurt provide essential nutrients, antioxidants, and probiotics that promote heart, brain, and digestive health during aging.
Beetroot (beetroot)
This sweet root vegetable has a lot to make it suitable. "Earthy vegetables can boost your energy, brain power, heart health, and more," says Patricia Bannan, registered dietitian RDN and author of Eat Right When Time is Tight. "Beetroot is full of nitrates that can increase blood flow to the brain, which can help fight dementia," she adds. Nitrates can also help keep blood pressure under control, says Bannan: "They turn into nitric oxide in the body and can help lower blood pressure by dilating blood vessels." Try roasting beetroot in the oven to eat as a side dish or in a sweet taco (a Mexican round cake) taco.
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Whey protein (whey or whey)
Since we know that muscle loss begins around the age of thirty, it makes sense to think about foods that can help slow down the process of age-related muscle loss. While most nutritionists say it's best to get protein from whole food sources, getting enough isn't always possible. You can supplement whey and add it to smoothies, yoghurt, pancake mix, and more. Whey is a complete high-quality protein, and another great thing about it is that it's rich in cysteine, which leads to high levels of glutathione in the body. Glutathione is one of the most important, if not the most important, antioxidant in the body. Glutathione can help prevent damage that free radicals may cause.
Beans (or any legume pods, including chickpeas and beans)
As we get older, our risk of developing chronic diseases such as hyperlipidemia, high cholesterol and type II diabetes increases. Eating a high-fiber plant-based diet that includes beans and legumes can help reduce the incidence of these diseases, while providing the aging body with many important nutrients such as calcium, iron and potassium. Add chickpeas to the rice bowl or white bean beads to the pizza. You don't need to follow an all-vegetarian diet to reap the benefits of beans, just add them to the meals you already cook and start enjoying their nutritious benefits right away.
Tomatoes (tomatoes)
Here we offer food that you may already like, but did you know that it can help prevent wrinkles? Because tomatoes contain the antioxidant lycopene, they may help protect the skin from sun damage. Lycopene is better absorbed by your body than cooked tomatoes, so try combining tomato sauce with pasta or spaghetti pumpkin.
Mushrooms
After the age of fifty, it is important for women to eat foods that treat menopausal symptoms, such as osteoporosis and low bone density. During this stage of life, it is essential to increase your intake of calcium and vitamin D, which boost bones. Mushrooms are one of the few dietary sources of vitamin D, and research suggests that using mushrooms as a substitute for beef may help reduce calories in your diet. Be sure to look for mushrooms grown in sunlight or UV light in order to get the most vitamin D.
Chia seeds Chia
These crispy seeds provide essential nutrients for healthy aging. Chia seeds are a plant source of two nutrients: calcium and omega-3 fatty acids, which become more important to our health as we age. Calcium can help support bone health, and omega-3s can help support brain health. Add chia seeds to salads for a little crunch, or incorporate them into chia seed pudding.
Grapes
Whole grapes containing more than 1,600 natural plant compounds โ including antioxidants and other polyphenols โ offer a host of interesting health benefits when included in our daily diet, especially for the heart, eyes, brain and joints. 3/4 cup of grapes contains only 90 calories, and grapes of all colors are a natural source of antioxidants and other polyphenols.
Greek yogurt
Besides being delicious, Greek yogurt provides about 40 percent less sodium and sugar than traditional yogurt โ with a double amount of protein. Greek yogurt also provides a living, active "cultured bacteria" that can act as probiotics (a proliferator for microscopic growth) for digestive health. Research shows that Greek yogurt may be helpful in reducing the risk of heart disease and type II diabetes.
