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Top Healthy Foods for Healthy Aging

Eat These Foods

From , former About.com Guide

Updated October 12, 2009

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These healthy foods will supply your body with everything it needs for healthy aging without any of the "bad stuff." Nutrition for aging is tricky, you need to make sure you get the right kinds of nutrients without eating foods that will lead to problems in the long term (problems like diabetes). Use this list as your basic guide.

Nuts - Healthy Source of Protein

variety of nutsBlue Jean Images / Getty Images
Nuts are a great source of protein that don't contain the harmful things found in animal protein (like saturated fats). By substituting nuts for some of the animal protein (like beef or chicken), you'll be giving your body healthy protein and a source of omega-3 essential fatty acids that can help keep your brain healthy as you age.

Fish - Eat More Fish

Fish and MercuryCharlie Schuck / Getty Images
Another source of healthy protein is fish. Fish don't contain the "bad fats" that meat and other animal protein has and fish are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids. The only thing to be careful of with fish is contamination. Check this list of the best types of fish to see what types of fish have the lowest levels of mercury.

Beans, Beans and more Beans

Kidney BeansGeorge Doyle / Getty Images
Beans are good for your body -- and not just beans, but a whole class of foods called pulses. Pulses are any bean-like thing (lentils, peas and legumes). These are all incredibly good for you -- a great source of protein. Work more beans into your diet -- they are an everyday superfood.

Whole Grains

quinoa grainsReggie Casagrande / Getty Images
Whole grains are fantastic for you and are especially good when they help you eliminate the fast-digesting "white" grains like heavily processed flour. The problem is that the typical "white" flour or rice is processed so much that there is really very little nutritional value left. Instead, use whole grains such as brown rice, quinoa, oats and others.

Fruits and Vegetables for Healthy Aging

vegetablesEmilio Simion / Getty Images
Fruits and vegetables are like the secret formula for the Fountain of Youth. By adding just two servings of fruits and vegetables each day, you can actually add years onto your life. Be sure to choose fruits and vegetables that have never touched anything that came out of a cow (that means no butter, no cheese and no cream sauces) -- otherwise you'll be erasing the healthy aging benefit of fruits and vegetables.

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