Healthy eating guidelines for older adults
Eating well helps you stay strong, active and independent as you age. Learn simple ways to eat healthily and feel your best at every stage of life.
The benefits of healthy eating for older adults
Eating well is important as it can help you:
- have more energy and stay focused
- keep your bones and muscles strong and help prevent osteoporosis (brittle bones)
- lower your risk or manage chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes
- help your digestion and prevent constipation
- help you achieve and maintain a healthy weight.
It’s never too late to get started with healthy eating. Even small changes can make a big difference to your health and wellbeing.
Eat well to age well
Simple habits can help you get the nutrients you need to stay healthy and strong.
Follow the Australian Dietary Guidelines to:
- Eat a variety of foods from the 5 food groups
- Limit ‘sometimes’ foods that are high in sugars, salt or saturated fat
- Drink enough fluids (mostly water) each day
- Limit alcohol.
Your body may need less energy now than when you were younger, but you still need important nutrients like vitamins and minerals.
Foods and nutrients that support healthy ageing
Some nutrients are especially important for your health as you age. They can help you maintain your muscles, protect your bones and support digestion.
Calcium keeps your bones strong and healthy. Vitamin D is also important as it helps your body absorb calcium.
Strong bones help you stay active and independent. They also lower your risk of falls or osteoporosis (a condition where bones become brittle and fragile and break more easily).
Good sources of calcium include:
- dairy foods such as milk, yoghurt and cheese
- fish with soft, edible bones, such as canned salmon or sardines
- plant-based milks with added calcium (for example, soy milk, almond, oat, rice or other nut, legume and cereal alternatives with at least 100 mg of added calcium per 100 mL)
- firm tofu (prepared with calcium – check ingredients list).
For more information:
Vitamin D helps your body absorb and use calcium to keep your bones strong.
You can get vitamin D from safe sun exposure, some foods and supplements (if needed).
The amount of sun you need can change. It depends on:
- the season and weather
- the UV Index level
- where you live
- the time of day
- your skin type
- how much skin is uncovered
- if you can get outside.
The UV Index shows how strong the sun’s UV rays are. UV rays help your body make vitamin D.
When the UV Index is 3 or higher:
- Get a few minutes of sun on your arms and hands in the mid-morning or mid-afternoon on most days.
- If you stay outside longer, protect your skin. Wear a hat, sunscreen, clothing, sunglasses, and use shade.
When the UV index is below 3:
- Try to get a few hours of sun each week around midday.
- Keep some skin uncovered.
- You do not need sun protection unless you are near snow or shiny surfaces
Get enough sun for vitamin D. Protect your skin if the UV is 3 or higher and you are outside for longer than a few minutes.
Ask your GP or an Accredited Practising Dietitian for advice on how to get enough calcium and vitamin D.
As you age, your digestion can slow down. Eating enough fibre and drinking enough fluids helps prevent constipation and keeps your bowels healthy.
Fibre is a type of nutrient found in different plant foods. Eating foods that contain fibre supports healthy digestion and helps your body work well.
Good sources of fibre include:
- wholegrain, wholemeal and high-fibre breads and cereals
- fruit and vegetables – fresh, frozen, canned and dried and keep the skins on where you can
- beans, lentils and legumes - try to eat them twice a week
- a handful of nuts and seeds most days or use 100% nuts butters, pastes and spreads if whole nuts are too hard for your teeth.
Most older people need to drink about 8 to 10 cups of fluids a day. Drink more if you are active or the weather is hot. You might feel less thirsty, so it helps to drink water with each meal and between meals.
Fluids can include:
- water (plain or sparkling)
- tea (black, green, herbal)
- coffee
- vegetable or fruit juice
- milk or even kefir (drinking yoghurt)
- soups or
- jelly.
Find ideas for making healthy meals to help you eat more fibre in our healthy recipe library.
For more information, see our Fibre and fluids fact sheet (PDF, 836KB).
Protein helps your body stay strong. It's important to get enough protein to keep your muscles and bones healthy. You can lose muscle, especially if you stay in bed a lot or don’t move much.
Here are some ways to eat more protein:
- Add foods like lean meat, chicken, turkey, fish, eggs, nuts, legumes/beans, or tofu to meals and snacks.
- Add nuts or seeds to salads or stir-fries (if you can chew them easily). You can also use nut butters , pastes or spreads.
- Dairy foods like milk, yoghurt and cheese.
Physical activity can also support your health by strengthening your muscles and bones.
Learn more about physical activity for older adults.