There are many women over the age of 50 who are trying to fit in a little more and are looking for diets to support heart or brain function. In these years, women are in a natural transition, so a good diet can help control the symptoms of menopause and improve overall health.
The diets in this article were chosen based on the following criteria:
- Easy to follow: In addition to providing clear guidelines and simple shopping lists, the diet requires no supplements.
- Adaptable: You can make changes based on your personal preferences and nutritional needs.
- Not too restrictive: You will not have to remove large food groups from your meal plan.
- Nutritionally balanced: You will eat a lot of healthy fats and proteins, plus sources of quality carbohydrates and micronutrients.
- Based on evidence: Scientific studies support the health benefits of nutrition.
The 5 best diets for women over 50 years
1. Best of all: the Mediterranean diet
The Mediterranean diet is consistently considered one of the healthiest eating patterns for almost anyone, including women over 50.
The prestigious Washington magazine places the Mediterranean diet as the best option to follow healthy nutrition; giving it a score of 4.2 out of 5. The report shows that most people in Mediterranean countries tend to live longer than Americans and suffer fewer diseases such as cancer or heart problems.
Based on the dietary patterns of people in Greece and southern Italy in the 1960s, this diet is characterized by its low content of saturated fats. It consists mainly of vegetables, legumes, fruits, nuts and whole grains and has olive oil as its main source of added fat (1 reliable source).
To achieve the Mediterranean diet we must take into account Food pyramid, which emphasizes the consumption of fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes; fish and seafood several times a week; poultry, eggs, cheese and yogurt in moderation. In this regard, the consumption of sweets and red meat for special occasions should be limited and combined with daily physical activity. «The Mediterranean diet is synonymous with quality of life“Experts say.
2. The best for heart health: the DASH diet
In second place in the ranking we find the DASH diet, which has a score of 4.1 out of 5. This diet, promoted by National Institute of Heart, Lung and Blood, is usually adopted to stop hypertension and focuses mainly on the consumption of fruits, vegetables, protein, whole grains and low-fat dairy, all foods rich in nutrients to reduce blood pressure.
DASH diet advises against consume food with a rich in saturated fats, such as red meat, fatty products, as well as drinks and sweets. This diet is based on a balanced diet and can be followed in the long run, one of the keys to nutrition experts to classify it as one of the most recommended in the world.
To achieve this diet we need to make drastic changes in our diet. For this reason, the journal’s committee of experts advises us to start with small changes as:
- Add two or more meatless meals a week.
- Use herbs and spices to make food to avoid salt.
- Add a portion of vegetables or fruits to each meal.
- Eat almonds or walnuts.
- Replace white flour with whole wheat flour.
- Go 15 minutes after lunch or dinner.
3. The best vegetable base: the Flexitarian diet
This diet shares second place with the DASH diet, especially for her Consumption of whole grains, fruits, vegetables and plant proteins. Flexitariana could be considered a vegetarian diet that allows the occasional consumption of meat or fish, hence its name comes from the word “flexible”.
The study states that you do not have to give up meat completely for the diet to be effective. Among the best qualities of the flexural diet, it should be noted that it helps us lose weight, we have better health, we reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancer, in addition to increasing our life expectancy.
To follow this way of eating we must add five food groups in our diet: protein without meat, fruits and vegetables, whole grains, dairy and spices. This report does not recommend adapting the diet to our pace of life to get better results, but rather to gradually discover all possible recipes.
4. The best for brain health: the MIND diet
The “MIND” diet of the mind was created to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s and other age-related dementias. “MIND” is an acronym for “Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay”. As the name suggests, it combines elements of Mediterranean diets and DASH diets that have been shown to support brain health.
Accentuate foods such as whole grains, berries, leafy vegetables, beans, olive oil and fatty fish. The consumption of fried foods, red meat, butter, cheese and sweets is discouraged.
Several studies have found that the MIND diet reduces the risk of dementia. While following diets closely have the highest reduced risk, even those who adhere only moderately may experience a slower rate of mental decline (11 Reliable Source, 12 Reliable Source, 13 Reliable Source).
5. Best for those who are fed up with diet: eat intuitively
It is very likely that if you have tried all the existing diets and because you have, it is normal that you will always be tired of the same story. In this regard, we must already be prepared abandons the cycle of strict diets forever and start eating healthy intuitive it could be the perfect fit for our body.
Chronic restrictive diets can lead to variety of side effects, including bone loss, weight gain back, disordered eating and decreased quality of life. Intuitive eating is an anti-diet program designed to reshape your diet mentality and build a positive relationship with your body and the foods you eat. It was created by dietitians who claim that chronic diets cause physical and psychological harm.
Intuitive diet includes 10 fundamental principles. They are based on concepts such as making peace with food, seeking health and dealing with emotions without having to use food. There are no forbidden foods and there are no rules governing portion sizes or meal times. Instead, the goal is to help you get back learn to listen to signs of natural hunger and fullness of the body, so that you no longer depend on a certain diet for mental or physical nourishment.
A recent study linked intuitive eating to better psychological health and a lower risk of eating disorders.