As we age, our metabolism and overall health change a lot. “You have to feed your body good nutrition for it to run like it’s supposed to run. You have to have good maintenance,” says Joan Salge Blake, EdD, a nutritionist and professor at Boston University. “You have to start treating your body like you do your cars and your home. Sometimes, you forget that your body is a well-oiled machine,” she adds.
Even though we all know the basics of a healthy diet, it’s great to have a list of foods that can keep us healthy as we age — read on to discover it.
Blueberries
In a study, people who regularly ate blueberries experienced slower cognitive decline — an aging delay of as much as 2.5 years — than less avid berry eaters.
“Always delicious,” says Angel Planells, a nutritionist in Seattle, “and packed with various antioxidants.” Antioxidants — things like vitamin C and vitamin E — keep your cells healthy. “You can’t go wrong with any of the berries, usually,” Planells says, “but blueberries really come packed with nutrients that are beneficial for the body.”