How to eat Healthy for Your age: Nutrients you Need at Each Decade

The way you eat in your twenties won’t necessarily meet your needs in your forties and beyond. Changes in hormones, metabolism and lifestyle all influence what your body needs to thrive at different life stages.  So, what should you eat for your age? We asked Sanitarium’s dietitian Nicola Perry to share the key nutrients to focus on each decade to help you feel your best.

Nutrients you Need in Your Twenties

Your twenties are often busy and unpredictable, and healthy eating can slip. While your body is more forgiving at this age, a diet rich in legumes, nuts, seeds, fruit, vegetables and wholegrains lays the foundation for long-term health. 

Although you’ve stopped growing, bone density continues to increase into your late twenties. Plenty of calcium is important to maintain bone density, however most people are not consuming enough.  Aim for around 1000 mg per day. Calcium fortified plant-based milks like So Good and dairy foods are convenient sources. Calcium is also found in calcium-set tofu, legumes, nuts, seeds and leafy green vegetables. 

Protein, vitamin D and vitamin K are also support bone health. Prioritising bone health now helps protect against natural bone loss later in life. 

Another key nutrient, particularly for women, is iron. Iron deficiency is common for women in their twenties, particularly those who have heavy periods. Be sure to regularly eat iron-rich foods like legumes, wholegrains, nuts and iron-fortified breakfast cereals . Eggs and lean meats also offer sources of iron.  

Pairing iron-rich foods with vitamin C–rich foods also helps improve iron absorption.  Women should aim for at least 18 mg of iron per day. 

Don’t forget to book in for your regular cervical screening test and skin checks.

Nutrients you Need in Your Thirties

The healthy habits built in your twenties still matter in your thirties. Continue to prioritise plant foods, including plenty of veggies, and regular health checks. 

If you’re planning a pregnancy, folate becomes critical. Adequate intake before and during pregnancy helps reduce the risk of neural tube defects. A folic acid supplement is recommended, along with folate-rich foods such as leafy greens, broccoli, avocado, legumes, wholegrains and fortified breads and breakfast cereals like Weet-Bix. 

Pregnancy also increases requirements for iodine and iron, and supplements may be needed. Common iodine sources include dairy, eggs, iodised salt, fortified bread and seaweed. Check supplement requirements with your GP or obstetrician. Those following a vegan diet should also monitor vitamin B12 status. 

For men, zinc supports reproductive health and is linked to testosterone levels and sperm quality. Good sources include legumes, wholegrains, nuts, seeds, dairy and soy foods. 

Nutrients you Need in Your Forties

 Life in your forties often brings competing demands, and personal health can slide down the priority list. Even if you feel well, risk factors  for heart disease and type 2 diabetes, like an unhealthy diet, being inactive and high blood pressure, can develop silently, making regular health checks important from age 40, especially if there’s a family history. 

Metabolism slows with age, increasing the risk of weight gain. Protein is a great tool for maintaining weight as it helps to keep you feeling full and retain lean muscle mass (sarcopenia – age-related muscle loss, can begin to creep in from around age 40). 

Supporting gut health is also important. Aim for plenty of fibre from wholegrains, legumes and other plant foods, especially those that provide prebiotic fibre (oats, legumes, unripe bananas, cooked and cooled potato or rice) to keep your gut bacteria happy, healthy and abundant. 

Nutrients you Need in Your Fifties

Yep. You guessed it – menopause. As well as navigating hot flushes and difficulty sleeping, it’s an important time to understand your changing nutritional needs.
While iron requirements halve once your periods stop, keeping an eye on calcium intake is a must. Hormone changes increase loss of calcium, so needs increase from 1,000mg to 1,300mg of calcium per day - that’s an extra serve of dairy or calcium-fortified plant-based milks. 
Adding foods rich in phytoestrogens, such as soy foods and flaxseeds, may help ease some menopausal symptoms. 

Vitamin D plays a key role in bone and immune health. Requirements increase with age, peaking at around 15µg per day at age 50. You get most of your vitamin D from the sun, however, trouble is, as your skin ages it is less able to synthesis vitamin D, making you more vulnerable to vitamin D deficiency and osteoporosis. Small amounts of vitamin D also come from foods including eggs, oily fish and UV-exposed mushrooms, as well as fortified plant-based milks and margarines. 

Your ability to absorb vitamin B12 after age 50 decreases, increasing deficiency risk. Vitamin B12 helps your body make red blood cells , supports the nervous system and energy levels. Check vitamin D and vitamin B12 levels with your GP. 

Regular screening for bowel cancer, breast cancer and bone density is important at this age. 

Nutrients you Need in Your Sixties and Beyond

Staying active and managing weight remain important. Protein combined with resistance training helps preserve muscle mass, and people aged over 75 years have the greatest protein requirement of all age groups! 

For more information on protein, our Sanitarium Dietitians have answered some of the most asked questions. 

If activity levels decrease, energy needs may reduce, making nutrient-dense foods even more important – lots of legumes, vegetables, fruits, wholegrains, nuts and seeds. 

Include sources of omega-3 in your diet from walnuts, flaxseeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, fish or soy, as they provide essential fatty acids for brain health. 

Other brain foods include berries, beetroot and leafy green vegetables.  

What we eat can help reduce the impacts of ageing on memory, cognitive function, and even help to fight degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s. supporting long-term brain health. 

Keep up those regular health checks, because your sixties are an important time to keep a close eye on cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar levels.