Add these 10 foods to your plate if you care about aging well

Your plate doesn’t necessarily need a makeover, but there are a couple of foods you might want to add so your body ages well.

Something from cold water

Fresh raw salmon steak with spices and herbs prepared for grilled baking. Healthy seafood food — Image Credit: Shutterstock.

Salmon feels a little fancy for some people. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Turns out, salmon is great for giving you omega-3 fats. Your body uses these to keep your heart, blood vessels, and brain in working order.

That’s not all, though. Salmon is a good source of protein, and your body needs that when you’re aging. Your muscles get harder to maintain as you get older. Try having oily fish around two times a week.

The small blue ones

Cheese cottage with yogurt and fresh berries. Curd with blueberry, raspberry and blackberry — Image Credit: Shutterstock.com.

Sure, blueberries add a nice pop of color to your bowl of cereal. They’re also doing a lot more than that. They get their color from something called anthocyanins. What are they, exactly? They’re compounds that are great for your blood vessels and for lowering your blood pressure.

A cup of blueberries a day is enough to help. Studies show it can lower your blood pressure by quite a bit. That’s not bad for something that you just pour into a bowl.

The pile on the side

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Forget what you know about leafy greens. They don’t have to be a sad bowl of lettuce. No, mixing spinach, kale, collards, and Swiss chard into your meals is a great idea. They’re packed with useful vitamins. They’ve got vitamin K and fiber, for starters.

People who eat more of them usually experience slower cognitive decline as they age. They don’t need to feel like anything heavy. Just throw them into eggs, soup, pasta, or rice. Now, the ‘healthy’ side is part of your regular dinner.

A handful that does a lot

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It’s easy to snack on walnuts. However, they’re much better for you than you might realize. They’ve got so many nutrients and protein, as well as fiber. Apparently, that’s good for healthy aging.

You don’t need to have a giant bowl or anything. Have a small handful of them, and you’ll be helping your body out a lot. You can’t go wrong with all those plant-based omega-3 fats.

The bowl filler

Red lentils raw in a bowl ready to be cooked, healthy vegan protein source — Image Credit: Shutterstock.

People forget how useful lentils are. But they really shouldn’t. They’re packed with fiber, potassium, folate, and polyphenols. That’s pretty important for aging. Fiber keeps your body digesting food as it should, and it’s also great for your cholesterol levels.

As for potassium? It keeps your blood pressure in check, while folate helps your body repair cells. Best of all, you don’t need to do much with lentils. Add them to soup or curry, and you’re good to go.

The creamy fridge staple

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A health food that doesn’t need cooking or chopping? Does it really exist? Turns out, yes, it does. It’s Greek yogurt. You need a steady amount of protein when you’re getting older because it helps maintain your muscles, and Greek yogurt has a lot of it.

But that’s not all. It’s also got calcium for your bones. Let’s not forget about the zinc, B vitamins, and probiotics. Honestly, it’s kind of unbelievable that such a simple food could be so good for aging.

The soft green add-on

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Yes, it’s easy to make fun of people eating avocados, thanks to the whole avocado toast thing. Don’t ignore the food itself, though. A medium avocado has around 22 grams of fat and 10 grams of fiber. That’s good news for your heart and digestive system.

You’ll feel full and also be able to maintain your cholesterol levels. But if that wasn’t enough, there’s also plenty of potassium and folate. Try putting a few slices on some eggs or chili for a proper age-friendly meal.

The green bite with crunch

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No, broccoli isn’t as boring as it seems. You’re just making it wrong. You should try roasting it and throwing it into some noodles, or shaving it raw. It’s loaded with fiber and all sorts of vitamins, as well as calcium, potassium, and iron.

It’s exactly what your body needs when you age. Those nutrients are really helpful for your immune function and bones, after all. They’ll also protect your cells. Cook it the right way, and you might actually enjoy eating broccoli.

The orange one

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Good news for anyone who likes sweet potatoes. They’re great for aging. Yes, they’ve got a lot of beta carotene in them, which your body turns into vitamin A. Why does that matter? It’s because vitamin A helps your immune system and vision.

You can have them any which way for those health benefits. Baked, mashed, cubed, part of a breakfast hash, whatever you want. It’s all good for you.

The little topping

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You might be surprised to know how beneficial pumpkin seeds actually are. They’re tiny. But they’ve got all sorts of healthy compounds in them, like magnesium, zinc, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, and iron.

Magnesium helps your muscles and nerves work properly. Zinc’s good for your immune system, and iron helps your blood carry oxygen around. Put a spoonful of these seeds on some Greek yogurt or roasted vegetables for an extra health kick.

Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.