How nutritional needs change as you get older

It’s not a pleasant realisation to face, but it’s inevitable: as you grow older, you need to be more mindful of what you put into your body. Your body is no longer as forgiving as it was when you were younger when you feed it with unhealthy foods, and your health can be significantly impacted if you’re negligent towards your diet.

Rather than just watching what not to eat, it’s a good idea to get into the practice of watching what you do eat. Keeping track of the meals you have on a regular basis and thinking about how to modify them to fit a better diet is a good idea.

However, all of this extra information can be overwhelming to apply during your weekly grocery shop. This is why so many people are opting to use services that deliver ingredients for quick and healthy meals like HelloFresh.

Nutritional needs will change as you get older, as will your lifestyle. Let’s look at some of the ways that your nutritional needs may change over the years.

Fewer calories, more nutrients

As you age, it’s likely that you won’t need the same amount of calories as you did when you were younger. If you continue with the same amount of calories, you may end up gaining more weight.

However, while your calorie intake may decrease, the level of nutrients you ingest should be the same – if not higher. Because of this, it’s important to adjust your diet for this change. Switching out high-calorie and low-nutrient foods such as soft drinks for healthier alternatives like kombucha can help with this change.

Some nutrients that are important to ingest include calcium to help bone strength and fibre to promote bowel health. Potassium, magnesium, and omega-3 will also help improve your general health and give you more energy. Essentially, switch over to foods that are nutrient-dense!

Higher vitamin intake

As you grow older, your body does not absorb nutrients as effectively. Because of this, you may be lacking important vitamins which help you to perform essential bodily functions.

To mitigate this, you’ll have to change your diet to help ensure your body is given the vitamins it needs. You can do so by taking supplements or adjusting the meals that you have to account for this change.

Vitamin B12 and vitamin D are vitamins that are particularly necessary to your health. B12 can be obtained through ingesting fish, poultry, eggs, and milk products. Vitamin D can be found from sources like fatty fish and egg yolks, or via sunlight.

Apart from your food intake, make sure that you’re drinking the right amount of water.