The older we get, the more prone we are to developing health conditions. It sucks, but it’s a fact of life. The good news is we have some control over this. The food we eat in our 50s can have a positive impact on our overall health. We can also use food to help manage specific health conditions, such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure.
This post is the second part in a series of articles that reviews key nutrients for optimal health in midlife, and what foods to find them in. Part 1 explains the health changes that start during midlife and introduces the key nutrients to focus on in your 40s.
If you haven’t had the chance to review the first post, you can check it out here.
Nutrient Recommendations Change In Your 50s
Intake recommendations to prevent deficiencies and support good health change when you are in your 50s.
For example, the RDA for calcium and vitamin B6 increase once you reach 51 years of age. Calcium needs increase to 1200 milligrams per day for women, so you may need to start a supplement if you can’t meet your needs through diet. For vitamin D, if you aren’t already taking a supplement, Health Canada recommends all adults over the age of 50 take a daily supplement containing 400IU vitamin D.
My previous post covers calcium and vitamin D in more detail.
Not all nutrient needs increase. The recommended intake for fibre decreases, but I wouldn’t go making any intentional changes to your fruit, vegetable, and whole grain intake. Most of us don’t get half of what we need in terms of fibre, so the goal post just got a little closer.
The RDA for iron in women who have experienced menopause decreases from 18 milligrams per day to 8 milligrams per day. This is due to the end of mensuration.
Protein continues to be an important nutrient, especially as we age, so aim to have it with all your meals and snacks, if you can.
Here’s the breakdown on some of the other important nutrients to eat in your 50s and why you need them.
B Vitamins: B12 and B6
Why you need them
Vitamin B6 is necessary for proper energy and protein metabolism and is supportive of heart health.
B12 is an important nutrient for cognition and energy metabolism. It is available only from animal foods, and its digestion and absorption are more complex than most nutrients. Our ability to digest and absorb vitamin B12 also declines as we age.
How much you need
At age 51, the RDA for B6 increases to 1.7 milligrams daily (males) and 1.5 milligrams daily (female).
The recommended intake for vitamin B12 the RDA remains at 2.4 micrograms per day for adults of all ages, however at age 51, Health Canada suggests most of this come from a synthetic source (fortified food or supplement). As we get older, it’s harder to obtain vitamin B12 from food, due to the way this vitamin is digested and absorbed.
Alcohol reduces the absorption of B vitamins, including B12 and B6. If you live with IBD, celiac disease, or have had bariatric surgery, you may need a supplement to meet your needs. If you follow a plant-based diet, you may also need a supplement, depending on how much you restrict animal foods.
Food sources of B6 and B12
You can get B6 from animal and plant foods, including poultry, salmon, navy beans, whole grains, and fortified bread products.
As previously mentioned, B12 is only available from animal foods, including dairy and eggs. If your only source of B12 comes from a single food each week, there’s no guarantee you’re going to absorb it all. It’s best to spread your intake out over the course of the week to improve overall absorption. If you enjoy nutritional yeast, you can get enough B12 by eating a couple servings per week. B12 is produced by the yeast and most companies fortify nutritional yeast with B vitamins, including B12.
Many cereals and grain products are also fortified with B12. If you are taking a multivitamin, it will likely include B12 as well, and you can check the label to be sure.
Lutein and Zeaxanthin
Why you need them
These nutrients might be new to you. Lutein and zeaxanthin (pronounced zee·uh·zan·thn) are two types of carotenoids, which are natural pigments found in plants. You’ll find most carotenoids in deeply coloured vegetables – green, yellow, and red. You may be familiar with beta-carotene, a more commonly known carotenoid that is a precursor to vitamin A.
Lutein and zeaxanthin are not precursors to vitamin A, or any other vitamin, but they are important for brain and eye health. Macular degeneration is common in midlife and studies suggest that eating foods high in these nutrients can help reduce your risk. They are also associated with improved cognition when consumed as part of an overall dietary pattern that is high in vegetables, fish, fruits, eggs, and legumes.
how much you need
Currently, there is no recommended intake for lutein and zeaxanthin. It is suggested by many health professionals, myself included, to aim for one green and one orange vegetable each day, which can help you get these important nutrients, among others.
food sources of lutein and zeaxanthin
Good sources of lutein and zeaxanthin include leafy greens (kale, collards, spinach, turnip greens, etc.), and orange or red vegetables. Cooking leafy greens will increase their lutein and zeaxanthin content. Carotenoids are also best absorbed when eaten with fat, so skip the fat-free dressing on your salad.
Sautee greens in oil with garlic and chili for a quick side to serve alongside fish, poultry, meat or bean dishes, add to soups and stews, or chop up and cook with an omelette or frittata. Carrots, corn, peas, eggs, green beans and wheat are also sources of these nutrients.
Potassium and Magnesium
why you need them
Potassium and magnesium both support heart health and help to maintain normal blood pressure. In addition to helping regulate blood pressure, potassium is also needed for proper nerve cell conduction and muscle contraction.
Magnesium promotes normal blood pressure and helps keep heart rhythm steady. It is also involved with nerve cell conduction and muscle contraction, like potassium, and supports optimal immune function and bone health.
How much you need
There isn’t an RDA for potassium, but Health Canada suggests the adequate intake is 4700 milligrams per day.
Those with kidney disease may need less potassium, depending on kidney function. It’s always best to check with your kidney dietitian to learn how you can adjust your diet based on your bloodwork.
The RDA for magnesium is 420 milligrams daily (males) and 320 milligrams daily (females).
food sources of potassium and magnesium
Foods rich in potassium include bananas, potatoes, tomatoes, many types of melon, dried fruits, avocados, prunes and prune juice, oranges and orange juice, among many others.
Magnesium is more prominent in plant foods, with good sources coming from avocados, black beans, nuts, seeds, chocolate, and whole grains. Many foods high in magnesium also contain potassium and fibre, so including a variety of plant-based foods in your overall eating plan will help you reach your daily intake of all these nutrients.
Cholesterol Lowering Foods
Plant Protein, Monounsaturated Fat, Soluble Fibre and Plant Sterols
I touched on these nutrients in the previous post in this series, but their importance to heart health is worth repeating. In midlife, cholesterol can increase from both aging and menopause.
There are four cholesterol lowering foods to eat in your 50s that can help reduce your LDL cholesterol.
- plant-based protein from soy and beans and legumes
- monounsaturated fats, specifically from nuts
- more soluble fibre – good sources include oats, pears, chia seeds, okra,
- plant sterols – although can be found naturally in some foods, the amount of plant sterols needed to see an impact is at least 2 grams per day. There are a few functional foods that contain plant sterols that have been created specifically to help those with high cholesterol.
Putting it All Together
It can seem overwhelming for some people to get all these nutrients in to your day, especially when you’re busy. Remember, the important thing is your overall eating pattern over the course of a week or even month. You may have noticed that some of the foods or food groups provide multiple key nutrients. Focusing on these foods first could be a good place to start.
Working with a dietitian can help you identify any key nutrients specific to your health concerns and goals that you may need to add in. Sometimes it means making some adjustments or substitutions to your favourite dishes, or adding in a different snack or choosing a functional food or adding a supplement.
What foods are you looking forward to adding to your diet to support your health?
This summer I ate more swiss chard and other greens from our garden and when I went for my yearly checkup, my doctor said that I needed to go on a low-oxalate diet. This surprised me because I thought that I was eating healthily, moving towards eating more pulses, away from red meat and increasing my intake of “greens.” After further research, I found that many people have huge problems when eating oxalates, especially, if they are stone producers, which thankfully I am not. How does one balance all those healthy greens when it appears that oxalates can cause all kinds of problems in the body, something I read little about when many are telling others to increase their intake of greens which may be high in oxalates.
Hi Dianne,
Thanks for your question! It sounds like you’ve made some great changes to your eating pattern.
Oxalate-rich foods and kidney stones are a common source of confusion for people. Dietary restriction of oxalates is no longer routinely recommended to prevent kidney stones, except for specific circumstances and with certain pre-existing conditions. This is one of the reasons I don’t include it as an FYI when I talk about enjoying leafy greens to a general audience.
There are many different types of kidney stones, so diet recommendations can depend on what type of stone is formed too. I’m not able to speak to your specific circumstances, so there could be a reason that your doctor recommended you limit oxalates in your diet.
Where spinach and collard greens are high in oxalates, kale, broccoli, and brussels sprouts are low, so these are foods to keep enjoying. Lutein and zeaxanthin are also found in other foods, like eggs, cooked carrots (moderate oxalates), and yellow summer squash. Hope this helps!
Thanks again for your question.
Melanie