Are you 65 or older? One of the easiest ways to boost your health is by eating the right foods. Here’s how.

As you get older, it can be harder to get the essential nutrients you need to stay healthy. Especially the ones that help support things such as your bone health, immune system and other parts of your body.

While many factors may be involved, this nutritional deficiency is often due to a simple reason: You’re not eating enough of the right nutrient-rich foods.

David Cutler, M.D., a family medicine physician at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California, notes that as you get older, your appetite often decreases, so you may not eat as much as you used to. Preparing well-balanced meals may seem like too much work. Also, the older you get, the more likely you are to have chronic diseases or take medications that can interfere with your body absorbing the nutrients it needs, explains Dr. Cutler.

A simple solution? Start by filling your plate with the right foods. Of course, if you’re planning on changing your diet, you’ll want to talk to your doctor first. And you don’t have to do it all at once. Start small and work your way up from there.

Below, find 10 essential nutrients that are important for your health, plus all the foods that come packed with them.

Are you 65 or older and looking for a Medicare plan? Learn more about Medicare, or call a licensed insurance agent at 1-844-211-7730 to discuss your options.

Essential nutrient #1: Vitamin A

Let’s start with the first letter of the nutrient alphabet: vitamin A. It helps you maintain healthy vision and helps your body fight off infections. If you’re looking to add more vitamin A to your diet, try these foods that are high in the nutrient:

• Dairy products
• Eggs
• Fruits
• Green, leafy vegetables, such as collard greens and kale
• Oily fish, such as salmon and herring
• Vitamin A–fortified cereals

Essential nutrient #2: Vitamin D

Vitamin D is great for boosting bone health and muscle function. That can help reduce your risk of falls or serious injuries, such as bone breaks, if you happen to stumble. After all, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), falls are the leading cause of injury death in people ages 65 and older.

Vitamin D can also help fight off autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis. These types of diseases happen when the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy cells, tissues and organs. 

Foods high in vitamin D include:

• Egg yolks
• Fatty fish, such as tuna, salmon and trout
• Mushrooms
• Vitamin D–fortified foods, such as milk and cereal

Essential nutrient #3: Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 helps your body produce red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout your body and help remove carbon monoxide from your lungs. It also helps with your nerve function and overall brain- and nerve-related health.

If you’re looking to add this important nutrient to your next meal, you’ll find it in these types of foods:

• Eggs
• Fish
• Lean meats
• Liver
• Vitamin B12–fortified cereals

Essential nutrient #4: Calcium

When you were growing up, you were probably told to drink your milk because it would make your bones stronger. And whoever told you that would’ve been right on: Calcium is essential for bone health and reducing the risk of osteoporosis. That’s a condition that causes your bones to become fragile and break more easily.

That’s especially a problem for older women, who are much more likely to develop osteoporosis: Per the CDC, 27% of women ages 65 and older are likely to have osteoporosis, versus just 5.7% of men the same age.

Besides milk, here are some other foods that are great sources of calcium:

• Calcium-fortified foods, such as some cereals and orange juice
• Dairy products, such as cheese and yogurt
• Leafy greens, such as collard greens, spinach and kale
• Soybeans

Essential nutrient #5: Zinc

Let’s say you cut your hand in the kitchen. A diet rich in zinc can help that wound heal. In fact, overall, adding zinc to your diet is a great way to maintain a healthy immune system, which protects your cells and helps your body fend off infections.

Here are some foods that are high in zinc:

• Beans
• Dairy products
• Eggs
• Fish and seafood
• Nuts
• Poultry
• Red meat
• Whole grains

Essential nutrient #6: Iron

Beans, beans, the musical fruit … happen to be high in iron, which helps your body produce red blood cells (which help you breathe). And it also helps prevent fatigue and muscle weakness, 2 factors that could lead to falls.

The types of beans and bean-like legumes you want to focus on include white beans, kidney beans, lentils and peas.

Also, try these other iron-rich foods:

• Dried fruits, such as raisins
• Iron-fortified cereals and breads
• Lean meat
• Nuts
• Poultry
• Seafood
• Spinach

Essential nutrient #7: Fiber

You may have seen commercials talking about daily fiber to fight off constipation. Fiber is, indeed, great for gut health, promoting regular bowel movements (pooping). It’s also important for losing weight, lowering your blood sugar and maintaining healthy levels of cholesterol.

Need some ideas for fiber-rich foods to add to your next meal or recipe? Try these:

• Beans and legumes, such as lentils, chickpeas, black beans and kidney beans
• Fruits, such as apples, blackberries and pears
• Vegetables
• Whole grains, such as brown rice, oats, whole wheat and quinoa

Essential nutrient #8: Omega-3 fatty acids

If you’re a fan of seafood, you’ll be happy to know that fatty fish, such as salmon, tuna, mackerel and herring, are all great sources of omega-3 fatty acids. These essential nutrients help promote good heart health, reduce inflammation, support brain function and protect you from autoimmune diseases.

Besides fatty fish, you can also get omega-3 fatty acids from foods such as:

• Nuts and seeds (flaxseed and walnuts)
• Plant oils (flaxseed oil and soybean oil)

Essential nutrient #9: Magnesium

Dessert, anyone? If it’s dark chocolate — and you’re eating it in moderation — it’s a good source of magnesium. That’s a nutrient that helps your body regulate muscle and nerve function, while also helping your blood sugar levels stay balanced and keeping your blood pressure low. Plus, it also helps your body make protein, bone and DNA (genetic information).

Besides dark chocolate, foods high in magnesium include:

• Dairy products
• Green, leafy vegetables, such as collard greens, spinach and Swiss chard
• Legumes, such as black beans, edamame and peanuts
• Magnesium-fortified cereals
• Nuts and seeds, such as almonds, cashews and pumpkin seeds
• Whole grains, such as quinoa and whole wheat

Essential nutrient #10: Potassium

Next time you add some banana to your morning cereal, know that you’re adding a good source of potassium to your diet. It’s essential to most bodily functions, including heart and kidney function, nerve transmission and muscle movement (contraction).

Foods high in potassium include:

• Beans and legumes, such as lentils and kidney beans
• Dried fruits, such as raisins and apricots
• Fish, such as salmon
• Fruits, such as bananas and oranges
• Milk and yogurt
• Nuts, such as cashews and almonds
• Poultry, such as chicken
• Red meat
• Vegetables such as butternut squash, broccoli and spinach

Is it OK to take vitamins and supplements?

When you’re trying to increase the amount of key nutrients you get daily, Dr. Cutler recommends trying to find ways to include them in your diet, instead of taking supplements.

According to Dr. Cutler, it’s often better to get those nutrients by eating a well-balanced diet. “One large, recent study showed that higher intake of certain vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin A, vitamin K, magnesium and copper, was associated with lower risk of death — but only when these nutrients came from diet, not supplements,” he says.

But if you do decide to take vitamins or supplements, the best thing to do is talk to your doctor first. They’ll be able to tell you whether a vitamin or supplement could be a healthy addition to your diet.

If your doctor does give you the go-ahead to take a vitamin or supplement, it’ll likely be an out-of-pocket expense. A health savings account or a flexible spending account may not cover the cost of supplements. You may be reimbursed for supplements if your doctor deems them medically necessary, and they may have to write a letter saying so. But be sure to check your health insurance policy or call your insurance company. Some plans may not cover the cost even if deemed medically necessary.

Similarly, prescription drug coverage plans may not cover routine vitamins and supplements unless your doctor prescribes them as part of your treatment. You’ll want to talk to your doctor about your options.

Bottom line: A big part of staying healthy well into your golden years is eating right. That might mean adding some new, healthier foods to your plate. Remember, if you’re thinking about making any tweaks to your diet, talk to your doctor. For additional support, your doctor can refer you to a dietitian nutritionist who can help you create a healthy meal plan.

Are you 65 or older and looking for a Medicare plan? Learn more about Medicare, or call a licensed insurance agent at 1-844-211-7730 to discuss your options.

The article above is provided as general information only. It is not intended to diagnose or recommend treatment of any illness, disease or condition. You should consult a qualified medical professional if you have questions or need more information.

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Sources:

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Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. “Vitamin B12.” March 2023. Retrieved from https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/vitamin-b12

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National Institutes of Health: Office of Dietary Supplements. “Vitamin D.” November 8, 2022. Retrieved from https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-Consumer

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