People who ate a healthy diet from their 40s on were 43-84% more likely to be functioning well physically and mentally at age 70 than those who did not, a US study found.
People who ate a healthy diet from their 40s on were 43-84% more likely to be functioning well physically and mentally at age 70 than those who did not, a US study found.
A healthy diet in midlife is vital if we want to age well, new research shows.
Coping with work, children and ageing parents can make our 40s one of our busiest and most stressful decades. Eating well tumbles right to the bottom of our list of priorities.But according to new research, a good diet during this period of our lives is vital if we want to age well.
A study by Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health in the United States found fewer than one in 10 people were able to live free from diseases like dementia and maintain good physical and mental health at 70 and beyond. Eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, wholegrains and good fats could dramatically increase the chance of doing so.
People who followed a healthy diet from their 40s onwards were 43-84% more likely to be functioning well physically and mentally at age 70 than those who did not, the research found.
“Before 40, we can usually get away with more in terms of what we eat,” says Laura Southern, a nutritionist and the founder of London Food Therapy. “In midlife, most of us start to notice our metabolism slowing down, and women can find their hormones changing. We often feel less energised and can fall into patterns which are increasingly difficult to break as time goes on.
Eliminating sugar from breakfast and replacing it with protein and healthy fats stabilises energy levels and makes it easier to resist unhealthy snacks. Photo / 123rf
Rushing to get children to school and make it to work on time can make it tempting to grab a quick pastry or slice of white toast for breakfast, but this sets us up for a cycle of crashing blood sugar a couple of hours later, followed by a craving for something equally sugary or refined carb-heavy.
Not only is this bad for our waistlines and energy levels, if these spikes happen too often, they can lead to insulin resistance and cause obesity, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and accelerated ageing. Eliminating sugar from breakfast and replacing it with protein and healthy fats will stabilise energy levels and make it far easier to resist unhealthy snacks. “Something like eggs and avocado on toast, or yogurt and berries, are good choices,” says Southern.
Healthy protein from these sources and others – including lean meat, fish, beans and pulses – is particularly important for women in their 40s, for whom hormonal changes impact muscle mass, bone health and metabolism.
2. Switch your bread
Eating high levels of ultra-processed food – food which has been industrially manipulated to be a long way from the initial raw ingredients, and generally contains additives such as preservatives, emulsifiers and stabilisers – has been linked to a higher risk of early death from all causes.
A large proportion of the bread we buy from the supermarket falls into the UPF category, with white sliced loaves the nutritional nadir. Refined white carbohydrates including bread and pasta not only offer minimal fibre, but also cause blood sugar spikes.
“We want to reduce the amount of UPFs and refined white carbs we consume, and a simple place to start is our bread,” says Southern. “It’s worth making a little extra effort to make sure the list of ingredients is as small as possible, and then looking for bread with added seeds, or made from rye or spelt flour to increase your fibre intake. Fibre supports male and female hormone balance and gut health, and it also fights inflammation, which can lead to heart disease, dementia and cancer.”
One recent Danish study showed that those who ate the most wholegrains, such as oats, brown rice and quinoa, lived longer without disease than those who ate the least.
3. Sprinkle herbs and seeds
"If you keep a jar of mixed seeds on your countertop and sprinkle them onto your food, you’re getting a quick, easy source of good fats, protein, fibre and trace nutrients."
The importance of our microbiome, the community of bacteria, fungi and viruses within our intestines, to our overall health is now well-known, and research from the American Gut Project found the single best thing we can do for gut health is eat 30 different plant foods a week – advice supported by leading British experts including Professor Tim Spector.
Eating a rainbow of fruit and vegetables is vital, but if 30 a week seems daunting, remember that when it comes to gut health, diversity is key. “Even small amounts of different plants feed our microbiome,” says Southern. “One of my biggest tips to clients is to keep a few potted herbs on the kitchen windowsill and when you’re cooking, throw in a few leaves.
“If you keep a jar of mixed seeds on your countertop and sprinkle them onto your food, you’re getting a quick, easy source of good fats, protein, fibre and trace nutrients. Chia seeds or ground flaxseeds are ideal stirred through yogurt or porridge, and sesame, sunflower and pumpkin seeds can add texture to a soup or salad.”
4. Swap yogurt for kefir
There is evidence that kefir, made by adding kefir grains to milk, increases immune function and reduces inflammation.
Many of us know that fermented foods are good for our gut health, promoting a healthier and more diverse microbiome – but if we find the idea of kimchi and sauerkraut unappealing, what can we eat instead?
“I often start the day with a bowl of kefir yogurt,” says Southern. “It’s such a simple swap from normal yogurt, but it has more probiotics in it, which are great for digestive health.”
There is evidence that kefir, made by adding kefir grains to milk, also increases immune function and reduces inflammation.
5. Snack on nuts
A major study by the National University of Singapore found that people who began eating nuts twice a week or more in their 40s were more than a fifth less likely to have problems with memory when they were over 60, compared with those who ate nuts less than around once a month.
“Nuts are nutrient-rich, providing us with fibre, protein, vitamins, minerals and other micronutrients which protect our brain health, as well as reducing our risk of heart disease,” says Southern. “A small handful is an ideal snack to tide you over until the next meal without sending your blood sugar soaring.”
6. Save time with pre-prepared food
It can often feel as though, if you’re not preparing everything you eat from scratch, you’re failing – and during your time-poor 40s, it often feels impossible. But, says Southern, there are plenty of shortcuts to be found at the supermarket that can help build your healthspan.
“The easier we can make eating well, the more likely we are to actually do it,” she says. “I’m a big fan of pre-made fresh soup, particularly ones with plant protein from chickpeas or beans – when I’m busy working, I heat one up, throw in a handful of green leaves, sprinkle some seeds on top and know I’ve got a nutrient-rich lunch.
“Packets of pre-cooked lentils are great for throwing into a Bolognese or shepherd’s pie. It’s just about thinking which options are going to give you more of what you need to live a long and healthy life.”
7. Eat more fruit
Higher consumption of fruit in midlife was found to be associated with lower odds of depressive symptoms in later life in a large Singapore cohort study of over 13,000 participants.
Researchers found that the consumption of most fruits, including oranges, tangerines, bananas, papayas, watermelons, apple and honey melon, was associated with a reduced likelihood of depression.That could be due to the high levels of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory micronutrients in fruits, including vitamin C, carotenoids and flavonoids. It’s thought that these micronutrients reduce oxidative stress and inflammation in the body, which is linked to the development of depression.
