When you were a kid, you might’ve wanted pizza, cheeseburgers, and ice cream for every meal. And as a young adult, maybe you scraped by on heavily salted instant noodles, rice, and beans. But as you get older, what you eat plays an extra important role in your overall health.
By choosing high-quality carbohydrates, you can give your body healthier amounts of sugar, starch, and fiber. One study showed that women who ate whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes were about 6% to 37% more likely to stay healthy as they got older.
Diet fads come and go. Low-fat this and sugar-free that line the shelves. Yet one of the largest and most important parts of a healthy diet for adults over 50 is the often misunderstood carbohydrate.
What Are Carbs?
Carbs are the sugars, starches, and fiber in your food. Your body breaks these carbs down into glucose for fuel. They can be your friend or enemy, especially when you’re older than 50.
Good carbs, bad carbs
"Good" carbs are naturally found in many foods, such as:
- Fruits
- Veggies
- Grains
These carbs are usually called complex carbs and rich in fiber.
"Bad" carbs are added as sugars or starch to processed foods, such as:
- Sodas
- Chips
- Candy
Processed foods that have bad carbs are the worst for your health. These carbs are sometimes called simple carbs and can overload your body with extra sugar, starch, and other unhealthy stuff.
What carbs do
Good carbs have many jobs, including:
- Giving you energy
- Lowering your chances of health problems such as heart disease, obesity, and diabetes
- Helping you control your weight
Numbers and Carbs
Good carbs should make up about half of your daily calories. Processed foods with bad carbs are "empty" calories that have fewer nutrients. They don't give you the health benefits of good carbs.
To keep track of your numbers, read the "Nutrition Facts" on your food labels. To follow a healthy diet after 50, you don't need to do heavy calculations and avoids carbs completely. Simply being mindful of where your carbs come from can make a big difference.
Benefits of Choosing Good Carbs
There are many reasons to choose healthy carbohydrates.
Protection against some health conditions
As you get older, a balanced diet helps you stay healthy. Since carbs make up about half your diet, good carbs are the key to a healthy eating plan. Healthy eating habits can:
- Help you stay at a healthy weight, lowering your risk for diabetes and obesity
- Lower the risk of Alzheimer's disease
- Lower your odds for conditions like diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and bone loss
Diet and nutrition
Good carbs are also part of good nutrition. Eating a balanced diet with healthy carb choices can:
- Boost your focus, alertness, and memory
- Support your body's defenses, or immune system
- Lift your mood
- Improve the appearance of your skin and hair
Carbs to Avoid, Plus Better Bets
Getting older can mean skipping out on some foods such as candy and cake. Whether you're managing certain health conditions or preventing complications, it's good for everyone to cut out foods that may raise your risk for:
- Clogged blood vessels
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Obesity
- Memory problems
Here are some of the worst carbs to avoid, why they don't work for you, and some healthy options to try instead.
Worst foods to avoid
| Foods to avoid | Skip this food because it's | Foods to try instead |
|---|---|---|
| Fancy coffee drinks, soda, and fruit juices | Loaded with added sugar and can raise blood sugar | Coffee with a little oat or soy milk, sparkling seltzer water with real fruit juice, or lightly sweetened tea |
| Pasta, white rice, and ramen | Low in fiber and high in sodium, which can raise blood pressure | Whole-grain or whole wheat types like brown rice, quinoa, or "veggie noodles" made from zucchini or squash |
| French fries and veggie potato chips | Packed with bad carbs and oil, which can clog arteries | Baked chips or lower-fat snacks, such as rice cakes and homemade stovetop popcorn |
| Cookies, cakes, and pastries | High in butter and sugar, which can clog arteries and raise blood sugar | Fresh, frozen, or dried fruit |
| Flavored yogurts | High in sugar and can raise blood sugar | Add fresh or frozen fruit to plain yogurt |
| Sugary cereals and instant oatmeal | Most have a lot of bad carbs and added sugar, which can raise blood sugar | Natural, whole-grain cereals or unprocessed oatmeal with fresh fruit |
Shop Carefully
If you're thinking about buying food that's labeled "low-fat" or "sugar-free," always double-check the Nutrition Facts to understand what you're getting. Choose a natural alternative when you're considering a low-fat or sugar-free option.
When to Consult a Dietitian About Your Aging Nutrition Plan
Anyone can benefit from consulting a dietitian, but let your doctor know that you may need to talk to one if you:
- Have a chronic condition like diabetes or heart disease
- Want help with gaining or losing weight
- Are looking to boost your athletic performance
- Need to change your diet, such as going vegan or vegetarian
- Want to learn about eating healthier
- Think that you may have food intolerance or food allergy
A registered dietitian works with you and your doctor. They can go over your blood tests, medical history, and eating behaviors. Your dietitian can help you decide on the best eating plan to fit your lifestyle at any age.
When to call the doctor
Adults can actually develop new food allergies and are more likely to have shellfish and fin fish allergies. Because food allergies can be life-threatening, go to the nearest emergency center right away if you have:
- Itching or hives
- Belly pain
- Coughing
- Swelling in your face
- A hard time breathing
- Confusion (or if you pass out)
Takeaways
A healthy diet for adults over 50 can mean avoiding certain types of carbohydrates. Choosing high-fiber carbs, whole grains, and whole foods can help you prevent clogged arteries, lower your blood pressure, and reduce your risk of obesity and memory problems. When shopping, look for labels that say "low-fat" or "sugar-free," and if you're unsure, ask your doctor about seeing a dietitian. They can help review your test results and make the best diet changes that fit your lifestyle.
FAQs About the Worst Carbs
Why do carbohydrates affect blood sugar more after age 50?
Carbohydrates break down into sugar in your gut so you can use it as energy. But when you're over 50, your body has a harder time using all that sugar up because your energy levels drop.
Over time, higher blood sugar levels can raise your risk for:
- Diabetes
- Weight gain
- Heart and liver conditions
- Memory problems
How many grams of carbohydrates should an adult over 50 eat per day?
It can depend on things like your age, sex, and body mass index (BMI). Your health conditions and activity levels can also affect your suggested carb levels. The U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) suggest that 45%-65% of your daily calories should come from carbs. Here's how that translates for different activity levels:
- 900-1,430 calories from carbs for men who aren't active (sedentary) eating 2,000-2,200 calories a day
- 990-1,560 calories from carbs for moderately active men eating a 2,200-2,400 calorie diet
- 1,080-1,820 calories from carbs for active men eating 2,400-2,800 calories a day
- 720- 1,040 calories for women who are sedentary and eating a 1,600-calorie diet
- 810-1,170 calories from carbs for moderately active women who eat a 1,800-calorie diet
- 900-1,430 calories from carbs for active women who eat 2,000-2,200 calories a day
Is a keto or zero-carb diet safe for adults over 50?
It depends on your health conditions, as the keto diet can put you at risk for:
- Temporary headache, fatigue, and flu-like symptoms, or the "keto flu"
- Constipation
- Low blood pressure
- Kidney stones
- Nutrient deficiencies
- Heart disease because of higher amounts of fats
Always talk to your doctor or dietician before trying a new diet. The keto diet isn't suggested if you have:
- Diabetes
- Heart disease
- Thyroid conditions
- Gallbladder problems
- Liver disease
- Pancreatic conditions
Do refined carbs increase the risk of joint pain or arthritis inflammation after 50?
Some studies suggest eating refined carbohydrates might raise your risk for inflammation, which can cause joint pain and lead to arthritis. Some foods to skip include:
- Added sugar
- Saturated fats
- Refined carbohydrates
- Trans fats
- Monosodium glutamate (MSG)
- Gluten and casein, for many people
- Aspartame
- Alcohol
