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AgePage

National Institute on Aging

Healthy Eating

After 50

Choosing healthy foods is a smart thing 

to do—no matter your age! Healthy habits 

like eating well and being physically active 

can help you reduce your risk of chronic 

diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, 

and osteoporosis.

Here are some tips to get you started: 

■ Eat many different colors and types of

vegetables and fruits.

■ Make sure at least half your grains are

whole grains.

■ Limit saturated fat (found mostly in

butter, beef fat, and coconut, palm, and

palm kernel oils) and trans fats (found in

processed foods like store-bought baked

goods, pizza, and margarine).

■ Eat “good” (poly- and monounsaturated)

fats, like those found in seeds, nuts, avocados,

and fatty fish like salmon. Any fats added in

cooking should come from plant-based oils

like olive or canola oils.

■ Eat 8 ounces of seafood per week.

Certain fish, like salmon, shad, and trout,

contain less mercury than large fish, like

tuna. Mercury can be harmful.

Make Smart Food Choices

Eating a variety of foods from each food 

group will help you get the nutrients you 

need. The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for 

Americans from the U.S. Department of 

Agriculture and Department of Health and 

Human Services describes healthy eating 

patterns. These guidelines are flexible to 

help you choose a diet of nutritious foods 

and drinks that you like, that are available 

in your area, and that fit your budget. 

The Dietary Guidelines suggests that 

people 50 or older choose foods every 

day from the following: 

Vegetables—2 to 3 cups 

What is the same as a cup of cut-up 

vegetables? Two cups of uncooked leafy 

vegetables. 

Fruits—11⁄2 to 2 cups 

What is the same as a half cup of cutup fruit? A fresh 2-inch peach or a half 

cup of grapes. 

Grains—5 to 8 ounces 

What is the same as an ounce of grains? 

A small bagel; a slice of whole grain bread; 

a cup of flaked, ready-to-eat cereal; or a half 

cup of cooked rice or pasta. 
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Protein foods—5 to 61⁄2 ounces 

What is the same as an ounce of meat, 

fish, or poultry? One egg, 1⁄4 cup of cooked 

beans or tofu, a half ounce of nuts or seeds, 

or 1 tablespoon of peanut butter. 

Dairy—3 cups of fat-free or low-fat milk 

What is the same as 1 cup of milk? One 

cup of plain yogurt, 11⁄2 ounces of hard 

cheese, or 2 cups of cottage cheese. 

Oils—5 to 7 teaspoons 

What is the same as oil added during 

cooking? Foods like olives, nuts, and 

avocados have a lot of oil in them. 

Other—130 to 350 calories

This includes calories from all types 

of foods and beverages, including baked 

goods, sweets, and alcohol. If you eat 

too many foods high in saturated fats or 

added sugars, you will not have enough 

calories left for the more nutritious foods 

you should be eating. 

Your doctor may want you to follow 

a special diet because you have a health 

problem like heart disease or diabetes. Or, 

you might have been told to avoid eating 

some foods because they can change how 

well your medicines work. Talk with your 

doctor or a registered dietitian—a nutrition 

specialist—about foods you can eat instead. 

Here’s a tip: Stay away from “empty 

calories.” These are foods and drinks with 

a lot of calories but not many nutrients—

for example, chips, cookies, soda, and 

alcohol. 

If you have high blood pressure or are 

at risk, your doctor may recommend the 

DASH Eating Plan. DASH stands for Dietary 

Approaches to Stop Hypertension. Following 

this plan can help you lower your blood 

pressure. See the For More Information About 

Healthy Eating section to find out more about 

DASH. 

How Much Should I Eat? 

How much you should eat depends 

on how active you are. If you eat more 

calories than your body uses, you gain 

weight. 

What are calories? Calories are a way 

to count how much energy is in food. The 

energy you get from food helps you do 

the things you need to do each day. Try to 

choose foods that have a lot of the nutrients 

you need, but not many calories. 

Just counting calories is not enough for 

making smart choices. Think about this: 

a medium banana, 1 cup of flaked cereal, 

11⁄2 cups of cooked spinach, 1 tablespoon 

of peanut butter, or 1 cup of 1% milk all 

have roughly the same number of calories. 

But, the foods are different in many ways. 

Some have more nutrients than others do. 

For example, milk gives you more calcium 

than a banana, and peanut butter gives 

you more protein than cereal. Some foods 

can make you feel more full than others. 
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How Many Calories Do 

People Over Age 50 Need 

Each Day? 

A woman:

■ Who is not physically active needs

about 1,600 calories

■ Who is somewhat active needs about

1,800 calories

■ Who has an active lifestyle needs

about 2,000-2,200 calories

A man: 

■ Who is not physically active needs

about 2,000-2,200 calories

■ Who is somewhat active needs about

2,200-2,400 calories

■ Who has an active lifestyle needs

about 2,400-2,800 calories

Here’s a tip: Aim for at least 150 minutes 

(21⁄2 hours) of physical activity each week. 

Try to be active throughout the day to 

reach this goal, and avoid sitting for a 

long time.

Common Problems Older 

Adults Have with Eating 

Does your favorite chicken dish taste

different? As you age, your sense of taste 

and smell may change, and foods may 

seem to lose flavor. Try extra spices, 

herbs, or lemon juice to add flavor. Also, 

medicines may change how food tastes. 

They can also make you feel less hungry. 

Talk to your doctor if this is a problem. 

Maybe some of the foods you used to 

eat no longer agree with you. For example, 

some people become lactose intolerant. 

They have stomach pain, gas, or diarrhea 

after eating or drinking something with 

milk in it. Your doctor can test to see if you 

are lactose intolerant. 

Are you finding it harder to chew your 

food? If you have dentures, maybe they 

do not fit, or your gums are sore. If so, 

a dentist can help you. Until then, you 

might want to eat softer foods that are 

easier to chew.

These are just a few possible problems 

older adults may have with eating. For more 

information, visit www.nia.nih.gov/health/

overcoming-roadblocks-healthy-eating.

Do Older Adults Need to 

Drink Water?

With age, you might lose some of 

your sense of thirst. Don’t wait until you 

feel thirsty to drink water or other fluids. 

Unless your doctor has told you to limit 

fluids, drink plenty of liquids like water, 

milk, or broth.

Try to add liquids throughout the day. 

You could try low-fat soup for a snack or 

drink a glass of water when you take a pill. 

Don’t forget to take sips of water, milk, or 

juice between bites during a meal.
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Snacking

Snacks are okay, as long as they are smart 

food choices. If you want an afternoon pickme-up or after-dinner snack, have a piece 

of fruit, or spread peanut butter or low-fat 

cream cheese on whole wheat toast. Don’t 

forget to include snacks in your daily food 

count. For example, 1 tablespoon of peanut 

butter spread on a slice of whole wheat 

toast counts toward the protein foods 

group and the grains group. Some ideas 

for healthy snacking include:

■ Have an ounce of cheese with some

whole grain crackers, a container of

low-fat or fat-free yogurt, or a 1-ounce

portion of unsalted nuts.

■ Put fruit instead of candy in the bowl

on your coffee table.

■ Keep a container of washed, raw

vegetables in the fridge along with

hummus or other healthy dips.

■ To limit your portion sizes, don’t eat

from the bag. Count out a serving and

put the bag away.

■ When you are out and need a snack,

don’t be tempted by a candy bar. Instead,

take along homemade trail mix in a

plastic bag when you go out. If you need

to buy a snack while you are on the

go, pick up an apple or banana—most

convenience stores carry them.

What About Fiber? 

Fiber is found in foods from plants—

fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds, and 

whole grains. Eating more fiber can help 

prevent stomach or intestinal problems, 

like constipation. It might also help lower 

cholesterol and blood sugar. 

It is better to get fiber from food than 

dietary supplements. Start adding fiber 

slowly. That will help avoid gas. Here are 

some tips for adding fiber: 

■ Eat cooked dry beans, peas, and lentils.

■ Leave the skin on your fruit and

vegetables if possible but wash them first.

■ Choose whole fruit over fruit juice.

■ Eat whole grain breads and cereals.

Should I Cut Back on Salt? 

The usual way people get sodium is by 

eating salt. The body needs sodium, but 

too much can make blood pressure go up 

in some people. Many foods contain some 

sodium, especially those high in protein. 

However, most fresh fruits and vegetables 

do not have much sodium. Salt is added to 

many canned, boxed, and prepared foods. 

People tend to eat more salt than they 

need. If you are 51 or older, about 

1 teaspoon of table salt—2,300 milligrams 

(mg) sodium—is all you need each day. 

That includes all the sodium in your 

food and drink, not just the salt you 

add. If you have high blood pressure or 

prehypertension, try to limit sodium to 
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1,500 mg, or about 2

∕3 teaspoon, per day.

Try to avoid adding salt during cooking 

or at the table. Eat fewer salty snacks and 

processed foods, such as lunch meats, potato 

chips, or frozen dinners. 

Look for the word sodium, not salt, on 

the Nutrition Facts panel. Choose foods 

labeled “low sodium,” “no salt added,” 

“unsalted,” or “salt free.” The amount of 

sodium in the same kind of food can vary 

greatly among brands, so check the label. 

Here’s a tip: Spices, herbs, and lemon 

juice add flavor to your food, so you won’t 

miss the salt. 

What About Fat? 

Fat in your diet comes from two places—

the fat already in food and the fat added 

when you cook. Fat gives you energy and 

helps your body function, but it is high in 

calories. Some types of fat, like mono- and 

polyunsaturated fats, provide your body with 

important nutrients and can be good for you 

in the right amounts. Other types of fat, like 

trans fat and saturated fat, can be bad for 

your health. To lower the fat in your diet: 

■ Choose cuts of meat, fish, or poultry

(with the skin removed) with less fat. Trim

off any extra fat before cooking.

■ Use low-fat or fat-free dairy products

and salad dressings.

■ Choose unsaturated fats, such as olive,

canola, or vegetable oil, for cooking. Check

the label.

■ Don’t fry foods. Instead, broil, roast,

bake, stir-fry, steam, microwave, or boil

them.

Keep Food Safe 

As you grow older, you must take extra 

care to keep your food safe to eat. It is 

harder for you to fight off infections, and 

some foods could make you very sick. 

Handle raw meat, poultry, seafood, and 

eggs with care. Keep them apart from foods 

that won’t be cooked or are already cooked. 

Use hot, soapy water to wash your hands, 

tools, and work surfaces as you cook. 

Don’t depend on sniffing or tasting 

food to tell what is bad. Try putting dates 

on the foods in your fridge. Check the “use 

by” date on foods. If in doubt, toss it out. 

Make sure food gets into the refrigerator 

no more than 2 hours after it is bought or 

cooked. Use or freeze leftovers within 3 to 

4 days.

Can I Afford to Eat Right? 

If your budget is limited, it might 

take some planning to be able to pay for 

the foods you should eat. Here are some 

suggestions: 

■ Buy only the foods you need—a

shopping list will help.

■ Buy only as much food as you will use.

If you buy in bulk, buy only as much as

you can use before it goes bad.
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■ Choose foods with plain (generic)

labels or store brands—they often cost less

than name brands.

■ Plan your meals around food that is

on sale.

■ Divide leftovers into small servings,

label and date, and freeze to use within a

few months.

Federal Government programs are 

available to help people with low incomes 

buy groceries. To learn more about these 

programs or find your Area Agency on 

Aging, contact the Eldercare Locator 

(see below). 

For More Information About 

Healthy Eating 

To learn more about the DASH diet: 

National Heart, Lung, and 

Blood Institute 

1-301-592-8573 

nhlbiinfo@nhlbi.nih.gov 

www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/

dash-eating-plan

To find out about nutrition, meal 

programs, or getting help with shopping: 

Eldercare Locator 

1-800-677-1116 (toll-free) 

https://eldercare.acl.gov 

Federal Government Nutrition Websites: 

www.choosemyplate.gov—Get resources for 

healthy eating. 

www.foodsafety.gov—Learn how to cook 

and eat safely. 

www.nutrition.gov—Learn more about 

healthy eating, food shopping, and 

assistance programs. 

National Library of Medicine 

MedlinePlus

www.medlineplus.gov

USDA Food and Nutrition 

Information Center 

National Agricultural Library 

1-301-504-5755

fnic@ars.usda.gov 

www.nal.usda.gov/fnic

For more information on health and aging, 

including nutrition and exercise, contact: 

National Institute on Aging 

Information Center 

1-800-222-2225 (toll-free) 

1-800-222-4225 (TTY/toll-free) 

niaic@nia.nih.gov 

www.nia.nih.gov 

Visit www.nia.nih.gov/health to find more 

health and aging information from NIA

and subscribe to email alerts. Visit 

https://order.nia.nih.gov to order free 

print publications. 

National Institute

on Aging

NIH...Turning Discovery Into Health®

October 2019