8 Superfoods to Eat After 50s These stand outs can keep you Healthy as nutritional needs changes

Whether you've been a healthy eater your whole life — or lately fallen off the nutritional wagon — it's important to take a hard look at your diet after age 50. Around that point, experts say, it pays to be choosier about your foods, and make sure you're getting enough nutritional bang for your buck. “Our need for energy declines starting in middle age,” says Dr Tajammal Mirza , GP in UK.Beyond adapting to a potentially slower metabolism, you also want to compensate for things like a tendency for bones to weaken, bowel function to slow and muscle mass to decline (around 1 percent a year until age 65, after which the loss can double.) hestra, you're well on your way to a hea In general, older adults “need to make sure they're getting lots of fruits and vegetables, eating lean meats if they are eating meat, chicken or fish, and avoiding saturated fats and sugars,A good diet can help get blood pressure under better control, decrease the risk of heart problems and contribute to the prevention of things like diabetes and cancer." To build your own healthy diet, remember that “foods work together in concert,” You need a whole symphony for a spectacular musical piece. But if you add these eight foods to your own orchestra 1. Berries A 2022 British study out of King’s College London found that consuming 100 grams (about a cup) of fresh cranberries a day helps prevent cardiovascular disease. Another study this year, this one out of the University of California, Davis, found that eating a small number of dried goji berries may help delay or prevent macular degeneration. 2. Dark-green leafy vegetables "As we get older, our bones become softer and need calcium,” says Dr Mirza. “That's something you can get from low-fat dairy and dark-green leafy vegetables.” We're talking kale, arugula, broccoli and spinach, which are also high in fiber, appear to boost muscle function and are heart-healthy. An Australian study published in March 2021 in the Journal of Nutrition found that people who ate just one cup of nitrate-rich leafy green vegetables every day had 11 percent stronger lower limbs. 3.Sea food such as salmon, cod, tuna and trout are a lean source of protein, which older people need to maintain or regain muscle. Dr Mirza recommends shooting for five to six ounces of protein each day, whether it's seafood, poultry, nuts, seeds, soy products or lean meat. “We have studies to suggest that older adults need to be more sensitive to protein intake because their bodies are not as efficient at using protein as middle-aged folks." Fish is also a good source of vitamin B12, a nutrient found only in animal foods that we have a harder time absorbing as we age. Seafood also has omega-3 fatty acids,” Rosenbloom says. “Two to three servings a week reduce the risk of death for the bulk of chronic diseases by about 17 percent. 4. Nuts and seeds All nuts are not created equal, but all are good for you, They have protein and fiber, and they can make you feel full. Eat just a handful as an afternoon snack and you won't be starving at dinnertime.The daily recommendation of one ounce equals 24 almonds, 18 cashews, 35 peanuts and 15 pecan halves. 5. Cottage cheese It could be time to give these little high-calcium curds a permanent place on the weekly menu. Cottage cheese is a great source of whey protein, which helps stimulate muscle protein synthesis. Athletes know this — after a workout, they often have a shake based on whey protein. But instead of doing that, eat cottage cheese."It is also high in calcium and vitamin D. Our bones are like a bank, and after age 35, we start to lose bone density so adding calcium and vitamin D to our diet is essential for maintenance. 6. Beans and legumes.They're loaded with fiber and protein and they're low-calorie.” They're also rich in iron, potassium and magnesium. Look for dry beans or low-sodium canned versions. 7. Water Water — that's not even a food! True, but you need to pay more attention to hydration as you age. “'As we get older, we don't have as good a thirst mechanism, keeping an eye on your water intake especially when it's hot and humid and you're sweating — say, while outside gardening. Taking in extra water can help counteract the effects of bowel function declining with age. And remember that often we think we're hungry when we're actually thirsty. 8. Avocados They don’t just taste good — they’re good for you. A 30-year Harvard study of some 110,000 people, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association in March 2022, found that those who ate at least two servings of avocado a week had a lower risk of cardiovascular disease than those who seldom ate them.