You might have heard that you are what you eat, and once you’ve reached 50, that’s even more true. Whether you’re eating too much salt or chowing down on too many cookies, your current habits could be creating inflammation and increasing your weight. In your fifth decade, this could have a catastrophic effect on your health.
Our nutritional needs change as we age because our metabolism slows down and our immune system often isn’t as effective. On top of this, some of our favourite foods can increase the chance of developing disorders such as stroke, cancer, and dementia. As your risk level of developing these disorders increases as you age, you shouldn’t boost it higher by consuming too many of these foods.
We’ve rounded up our top 10 red flag foods for the over 50’s, and while some of the culprits on our list are obvious, others will definitely surprise you.
1. Swerve salt to slow down ageing
Most of us love to add flavour with a touch of salt, and sodium is actually an essential part of our diet, playing a vital role in the body’s fluid balance. But though you need some salt to keep your heart, liver, and kidneys in good health for as long as possible, too much is definitely a bad thing. If you eat too much sodium, it can spike your blood pressure, putting you at a higher risk of cardiovascular conditions.
This can happen to anyone, but for the over 50’s, the risk is higher. Blood pressure rises with age, as does your chance of having a stroke or heart failure. Sodium and obesity are, in fact, two of the biggest risk factors when it comes to accelerated ageing.
2. Avoid processed desserts to lower mortality risk
No matter what age we are, it’s a good idea to avoid highly processed foods. These types of foods contain large amounts of sugar, salt, and saturated fats as well as preservatives, sweeteners, and colourants, which contribute to inflammation. When you’re over 5,0 though, it’s a must to reduce them as they become much more difficult for your body to digest, and when this happens, harmful levels of inflammation build up.
Chocolate, biscuits, and cakes might taste delicious, but eating too many in your fifth decade is definitely not a good idea. All that added sugar means that they will significantly increase your chances of contracting diabetes, heart disease, and even cancer.
Highly processed foods also contribute to excess weight gain, and as you age, obesity raises your risk of developing many serious health conditions even further. To avoid stroke, dementia, heart disease, and a weakened immune system, it’s vital to slash your intake of processed and refined foods.
3. Saturated fats could shorten your life
Saturated fats, like those found in sausages, butter, and cheese, have been proven to raise levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol. Why is this type of cholesterol so bad? Well, for a start, it worsens the risk of heart attack and stroke, which is why experts recommend it should make up no more than 10% of the diet of an adult aged over 50.
Fat is a vital component of our diet, as our bodies need it to function efficiently, but if you’ve celebrated your fifth decade, you should reduce the amount of saturated fat you eat. Adult males shouldn’t eat more than 30g of saturated fat daily, while women shouldn’t have more than 20g. Instead, opt for healthier unsaturated alternatives, like vegetable oils, nuts, avocado,s and oily fish, and select leaner cuts of meat, or trim off any excess fat.
4. Raw eggs can poison you
Did you know it can be dangerous to eat raw eggs once you’re 50+? Eggs are indeed good for you as they contain plenty of protein, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals like Vitamin A, Vitamin B12, phosphorus, and selenium. The average egg is only around 78 calories, with 6g of protein and 5g of fat, making them a low-calorie, nutrient-packed snack.
When eggs are uncooked, though, they can be very harmful to your health, as studies show they carry a Salmonella risk and can poison you. Seniors are more likely to suffer adverse health consequences from Salmonella poisoning, so those over 50 should avoid eating raw eggs. This includes foods and drinks that contain undercooked eggs, like hollandaise sauce and eggnog.
It’s best to consume your eggs properly cooked, not raw, but luckily, there are many safe ways to enjoy this ultra-healthy snack. You can choose from scrambled, poached, or boiled. Why not whip up a tasty omelette, with some peppers, spinach, and a little parmesan?
5. Limit fried foods to lower heart attack risk
Fried foods are loaded with saturated and trans fats and are extremely calorie dense in other words they are bad for your health. Eating them regularly causes weight gain, raises your blood pressure, and increases your chance of developing cardiovascular disease. Older people are more at risk of developing heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, and as fried food increases this risk even further by your fifth decade, you should limit the amount you eat.
It’s okay to occasionally enjoy fried meals, as having the odd portion of chips won’t significantly impact your health. Just don’t make it a regular habit, or try another way to “fry” food by using an air fryer, or by oven frying. Doing it this way will give similar results, but it reduces the amount of unhealthy fat you consume.
6. Drinking unpasteurised milk can make you ill
Did you know that raw milk carries a ton of harmful bacteria, including E. coli? Most of the milk we drink goes through the pasteurisation process, which uses heat to get rid of toxins and bacteria, but recently, there’s been a trend for drinking raw, unpasteurised milk. Drinking raw milk can be dangerous for anyone, as by doing so, you can get salmonella, campylobacter, listeria, and more.
If you’re over 50 or have a weakened immune system, you’ll definitely want to avoid it, as you have a far greater risk of becoming seriously ill. Milk provides essential calcium and protein, which keep our bodies and bones healthy and functioning, and unless you are lactose intolerant or vegan, it’s a healthy way to up your nutrient levels.
7. Limit alcohol and live longer
Many people wonder why they can’t drink the same as they did when they were younger or suffer a worse hangover if they do. This is because the over-50s retain higher blood alcohol levels for longer, while younger people have a higher volume of body water, so they can more quickly flush alcohol from their system.
Alcohol consumption also raises the risk of serious conditions, which older people are at increased risk of. Drinking too much alcohol can also worsen mood disorders like depression. There is some good news as research has shown that regularly drinking small quantities of alcohol may have some health benefits once you’re 50+, reducing rates of all-cause mortality and cancer.
8. Low sugar – low fat foods can be a health threat
Once you’ve reached 50, you could actually be damaging your health. It may seem that it’s healthier to go low-fat but you should never go too low, as our bodies need a certain amount of fat to function. Plus, as research has shown that our ability to absorb nutrients declines as we get older, it’s important to ensure you are getting the right quantities as you age.
Lower-fat foods aren’t always as healthy as they claim, either, as they’re often processed and packed with added sugar or artificial ingredients. When you eat a lot of processed low-fat food, you’re consuming a ton of empty calories, which really isn’t good for your body.
Following this type of diet can cause an increased appetite, which leads to weight gain that could put your health at risk. But it’s not just low-fat foods that sabotage your attempts to stay healthy as you age, as you know that low sugar foods can be dangerous too. Instead of sugar, they often contain excessive amounts of harmful sweeteners, like aspartame, which research has found increases the risk of certain cancers.
We think there’s enough evidence to avoid processed foods altogether and replace foods that are closer to nature instead. Next time you go shopping, fill your cart with whole grains, healthy fats, and plenty of fruit and vegetables, and leave the ultra-processed foods on the shelves.
9. Ready meals cause excess weight
It’s easy to grab a ready meal out of the fridge at the end of a busy day, but if you’re over 50, it could be one of the worst things you could do for your health. Ready meals can be calorie bombs, and if you regularly consume high-calorie foods, you’re likely to put on weight, particularly as you age. Once you hit 50, your metabolism is slower than it was in your 20’3, 30’s, and even 40s, making it harder to lose weight and easier to put it on.
This isn’t great news because excess weight can lead to obesity, which puts you at a much higher risk of many serious conditions. But weight gain isn’t the only damage eating ready meals can wreak on your body, as they’re loaded with salt, sugar, artificial sweeteners, and saturated fat. Many of them also lack an adequate amount of fibre, vitamins and minerals. It’s best to avoid reaching for ready meals if you can swapping them for healthier snacks like nuts when you’re on the go, or cooking from scratch at home.
10. Sprouts can make you seriously sick
Any food that’s eaten raw can cause food poisoning, but there’s one that over 50’s should definitely give a miss, the humble sprout. A study conducted by the FDA found that sprouts are highly likely to contain pathogens, due to the warm, moist, nutrient-rich environment in which they grow. The same study found Salmonella and Listeria on some of the sprout samples they tested, which cause serious symptoms, like diarrhoea, vomiting, fever, and dehydration. In older people, eating sprouts poisoned with Salmonella or Listeria can even be fatal!
Sprouts do contain high levels of important nutrients, such as magnesium, folate, phosphorus, and vitamin K, but so do foods that are cooked, such as broccoli and kale. If you’re over 50, you’re more likely to experience severe health effects from eating a bad batch of sprouts because, as we age, our immune systems don’t work as efficiently. This is partly due to the fact that our bodies can’t absorb nutrients as well.
As there have been so many instances of sprouts causing food poisoning and the companies that sell them can’t guarantee they will be free of harmful bacteria, it’s best to give sprouts a swerve. If you’re enjoying your fifth decade or beyond, this is especially important, so we recommend swapping out sprouts for healthier options, like broccoli instead.
