Eating Well As You Get Older
Frequently Asked Questions
2. What kinds of foods are the healthiest?
Choosing Nutrient Dense Foods
Video length: 6 min 18 sec
Click to watch this video
Video length: 6 min 18 sec
Click to watch this video
It's best to eat a mix of nutrient-dense foods every day. Nutrient-dense foods are foods that have a lot of nutrients but relatively few calories. Choose foods that contain vitamins, minerals, complex carbohydrates, lean protein, and healthy fats. At the same time, try to avoid "empty calories" -- foods and drinks that are high in calories but provide few or no nutrients.
Plan your meals and snacks to include
- plenty of fruits and vegetables
- plenty of grains, especially whole grains
- low-fat or fat-free dairy products
- seafood, lean poultry, and meats, beans, eggs, and unsalted nuts
- limited amounts of fats. Consume less than 10 percent of calories from saturated fats. Keep intake of trans fats as low as possible.
- limited amounts of cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars.
