Research shows that the nutrients our bodies need changes as we get older. Meaning, the foods that keep us healthy at 20 won’t necessarily keep us firing on all cylinders at 40. So, here’s a list of the best foods to eat, and the right age to eat them, to help boost your health:
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First: When you’re in your 20s, load up on salmon twice a week. Studies show that depression is most likely to develop between the ages of 15 and 34. And salmon is a great depression-fighter, since it’s packed with omega-3 fatty acids, which help flood your body with the feel-good chemical serotonin.
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Then, ladies, if you’re in your 30s and trying to have a baby, or already expecting one, stock up on eggs and spinach. They both contain choline, which helps babies’ brains develop. The Institute of Medicine recommends getting about 425 milligrams of choline a day. Which you’d get from one egg and a half-cup of spinach.
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Next, when you’re in your 40s doctors say now’s the time to eat burgers. That’s because lean beef is high in iron, which helps make red blood cells, and keep energy levels up.
Just don’t eat burgers every night, since studies from the American Institute for Cancer Research show that will raise our risk of heart disease and cancer. Instead, eat other iron-rich foods, like shrimp, or whole-grain cereal.
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Then, what type of food should you eat in your 50s? Low fat yogurt. It’s packed with calcium and Vitamin D, which is proven to help keep our bones strong.
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And if you’re in 60s, eat beans. First, because they’re rich in fiber, which helps you feel full and maintain a healthy weight. Also, beans are high in potassium, which lowers blood pressure. And experts say that’s crucial at an older age, because studies show that people over 55 are twice as likely to have a heart attack as younger people.