While it’s never good to live off of pizza, potato chips, and the aisles of processed foods available at the grocery, our bodies are more forgiving of those bad choices in our 20s, 30s and 40s.
Senior Nutrition and a Healthy Diet
As we age, nutrition and a healthy diet are more important than ever. Our bodies and internal functions naturally slow down with age. Therefore, you must pay more attention to the quality and quantity of foods you eat in your 50s and 60s to ensure your body is getting the nutrients it needs to function properly and stay healthy.
Top Foods To Eat In Your 50s
- Probiotics, fish, and vegetables to help strengthen your immune system
- Dark green, leafy vegetables to gain the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin to help prevent eye disorders
- Beans, mushrooms, yogurt, and bananas for a boost in potassium
- Nuts, canola and soybean oils, and flaxseed for healthy, unsaturated fats
Ready to stop worrying about what to eat day after day? See what it’s like to have a chef cook for you. Download A Taste of Eskaton to experience dining at a senior living community.
Top Foods To Add When You Turn 60
- Blueberries, grapes, orange vegetables, and beans for the antioxidants that help maintain brain health
- Mangoes, spinach, carrots, sweet potatoes, strawberries, tomatoes, and broccoli rich in vitamins A and C for continued eye health
- Meat and eggs for B12; fish, beans, and whole grains for B6
- Barley, oats, bran, legumes, and whole grains for fiber
- Dairy and kale for calcium
- Salmon, tuna, and fortified milk for Vitamin D
How Much Of Each Food?
The National Institute on Aging recommends following the USDA Dietary Guidelines for people age 50 and older by choosing foods every day from the following:
- Fruits - 1½ to 2½ cups
- Vegetables - 2 to 3½ cups
- Grains - 5 to 10 ounces
- Protein foods - 5 to 7 ounces
- Dairy foods - 3 cups of fat-free or low-fat milk
- Oils - 5 to 8 teaspoons
- Solid fats and added sugars and sodium (salt) - keep the amounts small
How Much Should Be On My Plate?
How does the food on your plate compare with how much you should be eating? Follow this key when piling food on your plate:
- 1 deck of cards = 3 ounces of meat or poultry
- Half baseball = half cup of fruit, rice, or pasta
- 1 baseball = 1 cup of salad greens
- 4 dice = 1½ ounces of cheese
- Tip of your first finger = 1 teaspoon of butter or margarine
- 1 ping pong ball = 2 tablespoons of peanut butter
- 1 fist = 1 cup of flaked cereal or a baked potato
We invite you to come enjoy a Taste of Eskaton!
Eskaton is Northern California’s largest nonprofit community-based organization serving seniors. With four decades of experience, Eskaton’s vision is to transform the aging experience.
Schedule a tour and meal with us at any one of our Eskaton senior living communities. Call us today at (888) 684-6554.
