The 20 Best Foods To Support Healthy Aging, According to a Dietitian

Looking to support your body through menopause and beyond? These foods for healthy aging can help.

There are plenty of awesome things about getting older, according to a 2 a.m. insomnia Google search I recently conducted. But if you have a uterus, getting older also involves menopause—the natural decline in reproductive hormones that marks the end of your reproductive years. The drastic hormonal shifts also can cause hot flashes, trouble sleeping, and decreased bone density. "Food can help minimize some of these less-than-ideal situations that come with these life changes," says Tracy Lockwood Beckerman, RD. In this episode of Well+Good's YouTube series You Versus Food, she breaks down the best foods for healthy aging that help cater to the body's unique needs during menopause and perimenopause (the beginning of the decline in fertility).

First up, get thee some avocados. "Avocados contain 10 grams of fiber and three grams of protein per cup. That's great, because fiber can keep you fuller longer while your metabolism may be slowing down," says Beckerman. "Protein can help combat the decrease in muscle mass that you may be experiencing during this time. Also, thanks to its healthy unsaturated fats, potassium, and vitamin B6, avocados can even help increase your libido." As if we needed yet another reason to love the fruit. (Here's how to pick a perfectly ripe avocado, according to a chef.)

Spinach is another food that Beckerman recommends for healthy aging because it is high in vitamin K. This vitamin can help facilitate bone mineralization, which is extra important as we get older and our bone density decreases, she says. Also, your skeleton replaces itself every 10 years (like, what?) so make sure to protect the health of your bones.

Ready to find out what else Beckerman says you should fill your plate with to support healthy aging? Watch the full video above.

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