As you age, it’s important to eat a balanced diet rich in many crucial nutrients. You can try an eating pattern like the Mediterranean diet or simply include a variety of minimally processed foods on every plate.

As you get older, your body can begin to lose some muscle mass and bone strength. In addition, after age 60, your metabolism can begin to slow down.

While aging is inevitable and typical, nutrition can play a major role in reducing your risk of age-related chronic disease. For this reason, a balanced eating pattern that emphasizes key nutrients can help improve your odds of healthy aging and continue living a dynamic, active lifestyle.

This article provides an in-depth guide to healthy eating in your 60s, including how to make dietary changes and what foods and nutrients to emphasize.

There’s no specific diet a person should follow to achieve this, as everyone’s exact nutritional needs vary. That said, generally, eating a balanced dietcan help you consume many minerals and vitamins that are important for health in older age.

Food categories to choose from include:

  • a variety of fruits and vegetables
  • whole grains, such as oatmeal, whole wheat bread, and brown rice
  • nonfat or low fat dairy products
  • seafood, poultry, lean meats, and eggs
  • legumes, nuts, and seeds

You can work to include foods from these categories in your diet in different ways, including by planning your meals, limiting ultra-processed foods, and filling half of every plate with vegetables and splitting the other half between healthy protein and grains.

It’s also a good idea to limit sugary beverages, choosing water or no-added sugar beverages like coffee, tea, dairy milk, or plant-based milk instead.

One eating pattern that may help you achieve this is the Mediterranean diet. Alternatively, you may try a vegetarian diet. That said, not everyone’s health is suitable for avoiding animal-based foods, so always consult with your doctor before excluding any foods or making any significant changes to how you eat.

Alternatively, if it helps maintain a more balanced diet, try sticking to dishes that you are already accustomed to eating while making the above-mentioned small changes. The following section explores specific nutrients that you can emphasize and that can help support your body as you age.

»Learn more:How to Meal Plan

It’s a good idea to prioritize foods containing antioxidants. These can help neutralize free radical compounds that may lead to oxidative stress, one of the main contributors to aging and chronic disease.

In addition, here are a few key nutrients you may wish to prioritize in your diet as you age:

Protein

Eating foods that contain protein is important for helping maintain lean muscle, metabolism, and immune health. According to the USDA, people eating a standard diet of 2,000 calories a day should consume a specific amount of nutrients daily.

Females assigned at birth (FAAB) over the age of 51 should be eating between 46 grams (g) of protein daily, while males assigned at birth (MAABs) should eat 56 g a day. That said, a 2023 report suggests that adults over 50 may actually need 0.5 to 0.9 g of protein per pound to maintain muscle mass and stay active. For a 150-pound person, this means 75 to 135 g of protein daily.

Most people can get enough protein from food alone. If you have difficulty getting enough protein or need a quick protein source, you can try using protein powder or a supplement such as Ensure or Boost. These oral nutritional supplements can help older adults maintain strong, healthy muscles, according to a somewhat recent study.

Fiber

Eating high fiber foods can help promote healthy bowel movements and digestion, support heart health, slow sugar absorption to stabilize blood sugar levels, and help maintain a healthy weight.

The USDA recommends that FAABs over age 51 eat 22 g of fiber daily, while MAABs eat 28 g. Most people can get enough fiber from food alone, although a 2024 randomized study found that older adults living in special care facilities often do not get enough fiber in their diet.

In this case, or if you’re worried you’re not eating enough fiber-rich foods, speak with your healthcare professional about taking a fiber supplement, such as Metamucil.

Calcium

Calcium is a key mineral for bone health, nerve function, and heart and muscle contraction. Eating high calcium foods can help prevent bone-related disorders such as osteopenia and osteoporosis.

Since postmenopausal individuals have a higher risk of osteoporosis and don’t absorb calcium as efficiently, FAABs need about 1,200 milligrams (mg) per day, while MAABs need about 1,000 mg per day.

It’s best to obtain calcium through food, but you can also find it in many multivitamins. If your doctor recommends a calcium supplement, it’s best to split the dose to increase absorption — for example, by taking two 500-mg supplements at different times instead of one 1,000-mg supplement.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is important for bone and immune health. Low levels are associated with a greater risk of mental decline, frailty, heart disease, depression, osteoporosis, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer.

Vitamin D is also known as the “sunshine vitamin” because our bodies can produce it from sun exposure. Too much sun exposure may be dangerous, so it’s best to get this vitamin from supplements or vitamin D-rich foods.

But because food sources of this vitamin are limited, it’s generally recommended to take a vitamin D supplement of 600 international units (IU) or greater after age 50. Your doctor may recommend higher doses based on your personal needs and geographical location

Omega-3 fatty acids

Foods rich in omega-3, such as fatty fish or buts, contain eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), or alpha-linolenic acid (ALA).

These are associated with lower rates of mental decline and neurological disease — such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia — as well as better brain, heart, and skin health.

The RDA for ALA is 1.1 g per day for FAABs and 1.6 g per day for MAABs. There’s no general recommended intake for EPA and DHA, though a minimum of 250 mg to 500 mg combined EPA and DHA each day is a good goal.

If you don’t eat fatty fish two to three times per week, speak with a healthcare professional about taking a fish- or algae-based omega-3 supplement.

Vitamin B12

As you age, your body’s ability to absorb vitamin B12 may decline, often due to underlying health conditions, such as atrophic gastritis or certain forms of anemia.

For this reason, eating more vitamin B12-rich foods can help support energy metabolism, red blood cell production, DNA repair, immune function, and brain and heart health.

Adults over 50 of either sex should aim to consume 2.4 micrograms (mcg) per day of vitamin B12. Keep in mind that vitamin B12 is found mostly in animal foods, so if you follow a vegetarian or vegan eating pattern, you may have a higher chance of low B12 levels.

Your doctor may advise you to take a B12 supplement if you have low levels, are vegetarian or vegan, have anemia, or have other medical conditions that reduce B12 absorption, such as Crohn’s disease or celiac disease.

Potassium

Potassium is a mineral and electrolyte that you need to get through your diet. Sufficient intake of foods containing potassium is associated with a lower risk of high blood pressure, stroke, and heart disease. Further, it helps support healthy bones.

The RDA for potassium is 2,600 mg for FAABs and 3,400 mg for MAABs. You should be able to get enough through food. Only take potassium supplements under the supervision of a doctor since getting too much potassium can be life threatening.

As you age, paying closer attention to your nutrition is essential to your overall health.

The foods you eat can help promote good health and slow down age-related changes in your body, such as sluggish metabolism, muscle loss, and bone loss.

With small changes to your diet, you can ensure you’re thriving for years to come.