Introduction
As we age, our bodies naturally start to slow down and show signs of aging. But did you know that your eating habits can play a role in how quickly you age? Studies have shown that certain foods and eating habits can help slow down the aging process. In this article, we will discuss the eating habits that science has proven to slow down aging. We will look at the foods that are beneficial for slowing down the aging process, as well as the eating habits that can help you stay healthy and youthful.
Eating Habits That Slow Aging, According to Science
As we age, our bodies naturally start to slow down and show signs of aging. But, according to science, there are certain eating habits that can help slow down the aging process. Here are some of the best eating habits to help you stay young and healthy.
Eat More Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are packed with antioxidants, which help protect your cells from damage caused by free radicals. Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables can help reduce inflammation, which is linked to aging. Aim to eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each day.
Choose Healthy Fats
Healthy fats, such as those found in olive oil, avocados, and nuts, can help reduce inflammation and protect your cells from damage. Eating healthy fats can also help keep your skin looking young and supple. Try to include healthy fats in your diet every day.
Eat Whole Grains
Whole grains are packed with fiber, vitamins, and minerals that can help keep your body healthy. Eating whole grains can help reduce inflammation and protect your cells from damage. Aim to eat at least three servings of whole grains each day.
Limit Processed Foods
Processed foods are often high in sugar, sodium, and unhealthy fats, which can increase inflammation and damage your cells. Limiting your intake of processed foods can help reduce inflammation and protect your cells from damage. Try to limit your intake of processed foods as much as possible.
Stay Hydrated
Staying hydrated is essential for keeping your body healthy and young. Drinking plenty of water can help flush out toxins and keep your cells hydrated. Aim to drink at least eight glasses of water each day.
Get Enough Sleep
Getting enough sleep is essential for keeping your body healthy and young. Not getting enough sleep can increase inflammation and damage your cells. Aim to get at least seven to eight hours of sleep each night.
By following these simple eating habits, you can help slow down the aging process and keep your body healthy and young. Remember to eat a variety of healthy foods, limit processed foods, stay hydrated, and get enough sleep.
Conversations about “staying young” and “slowing the aging process” see to be everywhere, and all this talk can become overwhelming—especially when you’re trying to decipher what is true and what isn’t. For example, most of us have probably heard by now that what you eat can impact the way you age, but what exactly does this mean for us, and aside from all the mixed advice we are constantly hearing, what does the science actually have to say about eating habits that can slow aging?
According to the Mayo Clinic, aging can impact your heart health, your bones and muscles, your cognitive health, your ability to lose weight, and many other areas of health. The Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion also emphasizes that aging brings on a greater risk for chronic disease. This may all sound very ominous, but fortunately, they add that sticking to healthy eating habits—along with regular exercise—can help you reduce these risks and pursue a healthy aging process.
Read on to get a clearer idea of what research has to say about the specific nutrition habits that can help you age in a healthy way. Then, make sure to check out The Best Breakfast Habits For Faster Metabolism After 50.
Getting enough fiber in your daily routine is crucial for your heart health, but because fiber is found in things like whole grains and vegetables, many people struggle to get enough. For one, they may feel that carbs are “bad,” which might lead them to avoid grains, or they may just have trouble getting in enough vegetables at every meal. Whatever the reasoning may be behind not eating enough fiber, it’s important to start finding fiber-heavy foods you like, for the sake of your heart. And since your chances of things like heart attack, heart disease, stroke, and heart failure increase with age, you may want to start as soon as today.
A review published in the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine concluded that high fiber consumption was able to possibly lower total cholesterol levels and even reduce the risk of mortality from Cardiovascular disease. Another review, which was published in BMC Medicine, reported that higher intakes of fiber were associated with reduced blood pressure, as well as reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.
If you need some ideas on how to incorporate more fiber into your eating plan, try 44 High-Fiber Foods for a Healthy Diet.
You may have heard of the Mediterranean diet in conversations about aging, because this way of eating has been found to actually slow the aging process. This diet gets its inspiration from Italy, Greece, Spain, and other areas that are close to the Mediterranean Sea, and it incorporates foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and healthy fats like olives and olive oil. Fish is included on occasion, but this diet is mostly plant-based. It also significantly limits the consumption of processed foods and added sugars.
The Mediterranean Diet has been praised for its impact on slowing cognitive decline by many experts, but what does the research actually say? In 2015, Advances in Nutrition Journal published a systemic review of the relationship between diet, dementia, and brain aging. According to this review, sticking to a Mediterranean diet as you age was associated with fewer incidents of dementia and Alzheimer’s, as well as slower cognitive aging. This was based on multiple types of studies (cross-sectional and longitudinal), trials, and meta-analyses. This review attributes certain characteristics of the Mediterranean diet, like antioxidants and mono-unsaturated fatty acids, to its impact on brain aging. The patterns of this diet are said to help lower inflammation and oxidative stress, which are major contributing factors in dementia and cognitive decline. too.
When it comes to aging, science shows that inflammation may be a major culprit in speeding up the process. According to a meta-analysis from Ageing Research Reviews, chronic low-grade inflammation may be a factor in many, “if not all,” of the chronic illnesses and diseases that commonly occur with old age. Additionally, the report states that aging may also play a role in increasing levels of inflammation in the body. For these reasons, it’s important to pay attention to how you diet impacts inflammatory levels as you age.
The report from Aging Research Reviews also found that eating or supplementing with omega-3 fatty acids can significantly help in reducing inflammation as you get older. Another study published in The British Journal of Nutrition shows that along with plenty of omega-3s, things like whole grains, fiber, and variety of fruits and vegetables can be helpful with reducing inflammation in your body.
It’s always possible that your doctor will recommend supplementing certain nutrients as you age, especially if there are specific areas of health that need attention. However, a lot of the research around diet and aging shows that a balanced diet that incorporates multiple nutrients is more effective than supplementation.
According to a recent article published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, consuming all the important macro and micronutrients through a wide range of foods like whole grains, lentils, nuts, vegetables, fruits, etc., can have a significant impact on pursuing a healthy life as the years go by. With this in mind, they also note that a balanced diet that supports healthy aging is one that also focuses on limiting your consumption of added sugars and heavily-processed foods.
So, while supplementing may be a good idea if recommended by your doctor, focusing on a balanced, whole-food diet full of helpful macro and micronutrients is key in slowing the aging process.
Your skin and how quickly it ages are affected by both internal and external factors, but many people are so focused on solving the external factors with external solutions, like buying the right skin care products, that they may not realize just how much their complexion is affected by the internal factors, like their diet, as well.
According to a report published in Nutrients, there are many different vitamins, nutrients, and minerals that play unique roles in slowing the process of aging skin. For example, protein helps repair skin tissue, vitamin B helps reduce inflammation and pigmentation, vitamin C helps with the synthesis of collagen, and water is crucial in skin hydration, as well as reducing inflammation and signs of aging.
This report also notes that things like smoking, alcohol, a high-fat diet, and added sugars are associated with faster skin aging and damage. But, while your diet does play a key role in your skin aging process, we still recommend wearing that SPF!
If you have questions regarding your diet and healthy aging, you can talk to your doctor or dietitian about a helpful plan. But, if you’re looking for some easy ways to start slowing the aging process today, these helpful tips mentioned above are a good place to start.
A previous version of this story was published on July 29, 2022. It has been updated to include additional copy and proofreading revisions, additional research, and updated contextual links.
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