Healthiest Foods to Eat In Different Age Groups

Here’s what you should eat in your 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s to age healthily.

Food to eat in your 20s

This is the critical period for young adults; what you eat now sets the basis and habits for a life of health or health problems. Lots and lots of fresh fruits and veggies should be on the menu as these provide the nutrients your still-developing body and brain need. Nutritionists advise to eat at least nine servings of produce a day, with a 3:1 ratio of vegetables to fruit. It’s also important to drink plenty of water as it moves nutrients through the body, controls appetite and cravings, and boosts muscular and brain performance.

Food to eat in your 30s

The 30s are when most people start to feel their metabolism putting on the brakes and they begin to gain weight. To lessen this, make fibre your new best friend, loading up on dark leafy greens like spinach, kale, and avocados. Healthy fats from olive oil, nuts, and seeds, along with fibre, will help control your weight by keeping you full and reducing sweet or junk food cravings.

Keep your skin and bones young by focusing on foods that support collagen, which naturally starts falling in the body around age 35. It’s not enough to eat collagen-rich foods, like bone broth, your body also needs vitamin C in order to make collagen so eat plenty of citrus, strawberries, broccoli, and bell peppers.

Food to eat in your 40s                                

The 40s are a gateway between the fertile years and middle age, and as your body prepares for this change, expect your hormones to alter wildly—especially estrogen and testosterone. Help become stable your hormone levels by consuming cruciferous vegetables including cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and kale as these have been shown to naturally help get rid of excess hormones and can help prevent cancer.

In addition, omega 3 fatty acids will help calm inflammation from stress, build up your immune system, and improve your skin. Get these from fatty fish like salmon, halibut, trout, anchovies, and sardines.

Food to eat in your 50s

The 50s are all about bone health—you’re not adding bone mass anymore and so you need to eat food to help keep up and preserve the bones you’ve got. Fill up on calcium-rich foods including milk, white beans, salmon, sardines, dried figs, bok choy, kale, black-eyed peas, almonds, oranges, or turnip greens. Aim for two or more servings per day.

Fibre is also essential at this age. Fibre makes you feel full, which can help normalize your appetite. It also plays an important role in lowering cholesterol levels to support heart health, decreasing your risk for cardiovascular disease—an important consideration in your 50s. 

Food to eat in your 60s

Brain health should be the focus of your nutrition in your 60s. Because some research found that the human brain is 60 percent fat, start by adding a daily serving of coconut oil to your diet. It may prevent and manage dementia, adding that all healthy fats like avocados, nuts, and seeds help nourish the brain. Berries are also full of antioxidants, another nutrient that helps your brain and boosts your immune system while reducing your risk of the chronic diseases that can arise during this decade.

Protein is another important nutrient, especially as you get older. Eating a serving of protein at every meal can help guard against muscle loss and maintain a healthy weight, Hultin says. Include fish and shellfish, beans, tofu, nuts, and seeds in your diet which also contain healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

The post Healthiest Foods to Eat In Different Age Groups appeared first on Masalamah.com.