Nutrition After 60: What to Eat to Stay Strong

I talk about exercise all day long, but I've learned that what my clients eat can make or break their progress. You can do every squat and balance drill I give you, but if your body doesn't have the right building blocks, it's hard to get stronger, recover well and keep your energy up.

Here's what makes nutrition after 60 a little different: many of us need fewer calories, but the same or even more of certain nutrients. The 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans point out that older adults still need equal or greater amounts of protein, vitamin B12, vitamin D and calcium, even when they eat less.¹ That means every bite has to work a little harder.

This guide pulls together what I've written about nutrition: water, sugar and blood sugar, the minerals and vitamins that tend to run short with age, healthy fats, fiber, supplements, and a simple way to build your meals. You don't need to do it all at once. Pick one thing and start there.

What Should Adults Over 60 Eat?

The healthiest way of eating after 60 isn't a fad diet. It's mostly real, whole foods, built around protein. The Dietary Guidelines encourage older adults to prioritize nutrient-dense foods like dairy, meat, seafood, eggs, beans and whole plant foods, including vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts and seeds.¹

When I plan meals, I use a simple formula:

• Protein: chicken, fish, eggs, Greek yogurt, beans, turkey or lean beef
• Produce: vegetables and fruit for vitamins, minerals and fiber
• Healthy fat: olive oil, avocado, nuts or seeds
• Smart carb (optional): potatoes, sweet potatoes, quinoa, brown rice or beans

And a few things to keep to a minimum: added sugar, sugary drinks, and highly processed foods that come in a box or bag with a long ingredient list.

How Much Protein Do You Need After 60?

Protein is the nutrient I bring up most with clients, because it's the one most tied to staying strong. As we age, our muscles respond less to the protein we eat, and many older adults don't eat enough of it to begin with. The new Dietary Guidelines set a protein goal of 1.2–1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight a day, and encourage protein at every meal.¹

The short version: aim for about 25–30 grams of protein at each meal, starting with breakfast. That's roughly a palm-sized portion of chicken or fish, or two eggs with a cup of Greek yogurt.

I've written a whole guide on this, including a chart by body weight: Protein for Older Adults: How Much and How to Get It. If your appetite is small, see How to Eat More Protein When You're Not Hungry.

How Much Water Should Seniors Drink?

So often, symptoms we might blame on something more serious, like fatigue, headaches, cramps, constipation or feeling foggy, can be linked to not drinking enough.

General guidelines suggest about 9 cups (72 ounces) of fluid a day for women and about 13 cups (104 ounces) for men, from all beverages.² Food, especially fruit, vegetables and soup, adds more on top of that.

The catch is that thirst signals weaken with age. Research shows that when older adults are low on fluids, for example after exercising in the heat, they feel less thirsty and drink less than younger adults, so it takes longer to get back to normal.³ So don't wait until you're thirsty:

• Drink a glass of water when you wake up, and one with each meal.
• Keep a water bottle where you can see it.
• Drink a little extra around exercise and on hot days.
• Choose water (still or sparkling) or unsweetened drinks most of the time, as the Dietary Guidelines recommend.¹

On long, sweaty days, a no-sugar electrolyte drink can help. Try my DIY citrus mint electrolyte water. If you have high blood pressure, heart failure or kidney disease, check with your doctor before using salty electrolyte products or changing how much you drink. Read more in How Much Water Should Seniors Drink?

How Much Sugar Is OK After 60?

Less than most of us eat. I still enjoy a treat now and then, but I've noticed I feel so much better when I keep sugar low, and I crave it less the longer I stick with it.

The 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines are clear: no amount of added sugar is considered part of a healthy diet, and a single meal should contain no more than 10 grams of added sugar.¹ That's about 2½ teaspoons. Added sugar hides in flavored yogurts, granola bars and bottled sauces, so it adds up fast.

Sugary drinks are the easiest place to start. In a review of studies with more than 300,000 people, those who drank the most sugar-sweetened beverages (usually 1–2 servings a day) had a 26% higher risk of type 2 diabetes than those who rarely drank them.⁴

A few swaps that help:

• Drink water, sparkling water or unsweetened tea instead of soda, sweet tea or juice.
• Read labels. Look at the "added sugars" line, and watch for ingredients like cane sugar, corn syrup, dextrose and fruit juice concentrate.
• Eat enough protein and healthy fat. Meals that keep you full make sweets less tempting.
• Give it two weeks. Cravings usually ease as your taste buds adjust.

For why sugar matters at the cellular level, see What Sugar Does to Your Body as You Age. For practical tips, see How to Cut Sugar Cravings: What Actually Works.

How Can You Keep Your Blood Sugar Steady?

How you eat can change the way your body handles sugar, not just what you eat. Big blood sugar spikes, and the crashes that follow, can leave you tired, hungry and craving more sweets. Over time, they make it harder for your body to manage blood sugar.

Three simple habits make a real difference:

1. Eat your vegetables and protein first. In a small study of adults with type 2 diabetes, blood sugar and insulin after a meal were significantly lower when they ate the vegetables and protein before the carbohydrates, compared with eating the carbohydrates first.⁵
2. Pair your carbs. Combine bread, rice, potatoes or fruit with protein, fiber or healthy fat, and choose a savory breakfast like eggs and vegetables over a sweet one.
3. Move after meals. In a study of inactive adults 60 and older, three 15-minute walks after meals controlled blood sugar better after dinner than one 45-minute walk in the morning or afternoon.⁶ In another study of adults with type 2 diabetes, a 10-minute walk after each meal lowered blood sugar after meals more than a single 30-minute daily walk, especially after dinner.⁷

That walk doesn't have to be long. A stroll around the block, a few sit-to-stands or tidying the kitchen all count. And strength training helps too: muscle is one of the main places your body stores sugar, so the more muscle you have, the more places it has to go.

Read more in How to Avoid Blood Sugar Spikes: Simple Glucose Tips.

Which Minerals Do Older Adults Need Most?

Minerals help your muscles contract, your nerves communicate, your bones stay strong and your heart keep a steady rhythm. Here are the ones I pay the most attention to:

• Calcium builds and protects bones. Women over 50 and everyone over 70 need 1,200 mg a day; men 51–70 need 1,000 mg.⁸ Good sources: yogurt (about 415 mg in 8 ounces of plain low-fat yogurt), milk, cheese, canned sardines or salmon with the bones, tofu made with calcium, kale and broccoli.
• Magnesium supports muscles, nerves, blood sugar and blood pressure. Adults over 50 need 420 mg (men) or 320 mg (women) a day. Older adults tend to eat less of it, absorb less and lose more through the kidneys.⁹ Good sources: pumpkin seeds (156 mg per ounce), almonds, spinach, black beans, oats and whole grains.
• Potassium supports muscles, nerves and healthy blood pressure. The goal for adults over 50 is about 3,400 mg for men and 2,600 mg for women, and most Americans fall short.¹⁰ Good sources: lentils (731 mg per cup), potatoes, sweet potatoes, bananas, beans, yogurt, tomatoes and leafy greens.
• Zinc and iron support immunity, healing and energy. You'll find them in beef, poultry, seafood, eggs, beans, lentils and pumpkin seeds.

An important caution on potassium: if you have kidney disease or take certain blood pressure medications, like ACE inhibitors or potassium-sparing diuretics, your potassium can climb too high, even from food. Salt substitutes are often made with potassium, so check with your doctor before using them.¹⁰

My rule of thumb is food first. Try adding one mineral-rich food a day, like pumpkin seeds on yogurt, a baked sweet potato, or beans in your soup. My mineral-rich sweet potato and black bean bowl checks several boxes at once. More ideas in Essential Minerals for Older Adults and Food Sources.

Do Older Adults Need Vitamin D and B12?

These are the two vitamins most likely to run low as we age, for different reasons.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium, and it matters for muscle strength and balance too. Older adults are at higher risk of low vitamin D, partly because the skin makes less of it as we age.¹¹ Adults need 600 IU a day through age 70 and 800 IU after 70.

Very few foods are rich in it. Some of the best are salmon (about 570 IU in 3 ounces of cooked sockeye), trout, UV-exposed mushrooms, and fortified milk, which has about 120 IU per cup.¹¹ Because it's hard to get enough from food alone, ask your doctor to check your level (the test is called 25(OH)D). If you supplement, the NIH upper limit for adults is 4,000 IU a day unless your doctor recommends more. Read more in Vitamin D and Muscle Strength in Older Adults.

Vitamin B12

B12 keeps your nerves and blood cells healthy, and low levels can cause fatigue, numbness, balance problems and memory changes. Adults need 2.4 mcg a day, but absorbing it gets harder with age. B12 in food is bound to protein, and your stomach acid has to release it. Atrophic gastritis, a condition that reduces stomach acid, affects about 8% to 9% of adults 65 and older.¹²

Certain medications can also lower B12, including metformin for diabetes and acid reducers like omeprazole for heartburn.¹² That's why the NIH suggests that people over 50 get most of their B12 from fortified foods or supplements, which the body absorbs more easily.¹³ B12 has no upper limit because of its low risk of toxicity, but a real deficiency needs a diagnosis, so ask your doctor about a blood test.

What Are the Healthiest Fats After 60?

Remember when fat was the enemy? We now know that the type of fat matters more than the amount, and some fats are among the best things you can eat for your heart and brain.

• Fish, especially fatty fish. Salmon, trout, sardines and mackerel are rich in the omega-3 fats EPA and DHA. The American Heart Association recommends 1–2 seafood meals a week to lower the risk of heart disease, stroke and heart failure.¹⁴
• Extra-virgin olive oil and nuts. In a large Spanish trial of adults 55 to 80 at high risk of heart disease, those who followed a Mediterranean diet with extra olive oil or nuts had about 30% fewer heart attacks, strokes and heart-related deaths than those told to follow a low-fat diet.¹⁵
• Avocados, walnuts, chia and flaxseed. Walnuts, chia and flax also provide ALA, a plant omega-3.¹⁶

If you don't eat fish, a fish oil or algae oil supplement is an option. The FDA considers supplements providing up to 5 grams a day of EPA and DHA combined to be safe, but higher doses can affect bleeding, so talk with your doctor first if you take warfarin or another blood thinner.¹⁶

Try my avocado and salmon salad for an easy dose of both. Read more in Healthy Fats for Brain Health: What to Eat.

Why Does Fiber Matter More With Age?

Fiber keeps you regular, feeds the healthy bacteria in your gut, helps you feel full and slows the rise in blood sugar after meals. Adults over 50 need about 30 grams a day for men and 21 grams for women.¹⁷

A large review of 185 studies and 58 clinical trials found that people who ate the most fiber had a 15–30% lower risk of death from any cause and from heart disease, as well as less heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and colon cancer, than those who ate the least. The biggest benefits came at about 25–29 grams a day.¹⁸

Easy ways to get more:

• Add beans or lentils to soups, salads and chili. A bowl of my cozy lentil soup is a great start.
• Choose whole fruit instead of juice.
• Sprinkle chia or ground flaxseed on oatmeal or yogurt.
• Swap white bread and rice for whole grains.

Add fiber gradually, and drink more water as you do, so your body has time to adjust.

Which Supplements Are Safe After 60?

I'm asked about supplements all the time. My honest answer is that food should come first, but supplements can fill real gaps, especially as absorption changes with age. The Dietary Guidelines agree that when diet or absorption falls short, fortified foods or supplements may be needed, under medical supervision.¹

If you take supplements, more isn't better. Here are the NIH upper limits for the ones I get asked about most:

Supplement	Daily need after 60	NIH upper limit for adults
Vitamin D	600 IU (800 IU after 70)	4,000 IU a day11
Calcium	1,000–1,200 mg	2,000 mg a day from food and supplements combined8
Magnesium	320–420 mg	350 mg a day from supplements (food doesn't count)9
Vitamin B12	2.4 mcg	No upper limit set12
Fish oil (EPA + DHA)	No set amount	Up to 5 g a day considered safe by the FDA16

A few safety notes:

• Calcium: your body absorbs it best in doses of 500 mg or less at a time, and high supplement intakes may raise the risk of kidney stones. Count the calcium in your food before adding a pill.⁸
• Magnesium: too much from supplements can cause diarrhea, nausea and cramping.⁹
• Potassium: don't take potassium supplements unless your doctor prescribes them.
• Medications: vitamin K can interfere with warfarin, and fish oil can affect bleeding. Bring your supplement bottles to your next checkup so your doctor or pharmacist can check for interactions.

I share what I personally take, including vitamin D with K2, omega-3s, magnesium, B12 and creatine, in Best Supplements for Adults Over 60.

How to Build a Healthy Plate After 60

Healthy meals don't need to be fancy. They just need to be simple, repeatable and balanced. Use the formula from above at every meal: protein + produce + healthy fat + an optional smart carb.

Here's what a simple day might look like:

• Breakfast: 2 eggs scrambled with spinach, a slice of whole-grain toast, and a glass of water
• Lunch: a big salad with chicken or chickpeas, olive oil dressing and pumpkin seeds
• Snack: plain Greek yogurt with berries and walnuts
• Dinner: baked salmon, roasted broccoli and a small sweet potato, followed by a 10-minute walk

Two strategies make this easier:

1. Batch once, use often. Cook extra chicken, beans or grains early in the week so later meals take half the time.
2. Repeat and rotate. You don't need seven different dinners. Repeating meals you like saves money, time and decision fatigue.

For a full week of dinners built on this formula, see Easy Healthy Dinners: A Simple 7-Day Plan.

Nutrition and Exercise Work Together

Good food gives your body the building blocks, and exercise gives it a reason to use them. Protein builds more muscle when you strength train. A walk after dinner does more for your blood sugar than the walk you skip. And strong muscles help your body handle sugar better all day long.

A good way to track whether it's all working is strength, not the scale. Try our grip strength test and recheck it every few months.

If you'd like help putting it all together, our in-home personal training and online personal training include practical nutrition guidance alongside your workouts, so you're not figuring it out on your own.

Start With One Change

You don't have to overhaul everything. Pick one thing from this guide, like a glass of water with every meal, a walk after dinner, or beans in your soup, and do it this week. Then add another.

Small steps, done regularly, lead to lasting results. Your body will thank you!