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The best diets for women over 50 years old address unique health concerns and nutritional needs.
Making certain dietary tweaks at the age of 50 can help minimize the unwanted effects of these natural changes on your body, allowing you to enjoy a better quality of life during your golden years.
To help, we’ve rounded up the best diets for women over 50, examining the pros and cons of each plan and what makes one menopause diet better than others.
Why Diet Matters More After 50
If you’re not careful, thinking that your body remains the same at age 50 as it was when you were 40 or younger can put you at a higher risk of certain health complications. This is where the right diet comes in.
How Aging Affects Nutritional Needs
As you age, your body needs fewer calories, your metabolism and nutrient absorption slow down, and you’ll generally have less energy or feel aches and pains in places you didn’t before. However, your body will still require the same amount of nutrients in younger years, if not more. So, you can’t just blindly eat a mix of empty calories and healthy food and make up for the excess calories by exercising more or eating less.
Doing one or the other isn’t healthy. For one, burning more calories than what you eat is and has never been sustainable. But eating less isn’t healthy either—you need to eat a certain amount of calories a day to maintain optimal weight for better health.
Common Health Concerns for Women Over 50
Your menopausal, perimenopausal and postmenopausal years bring significant hormonal changes, particularly a decrease in female hormones like estrogen and progesterone. The lower levels mean that you become more likely to develop health complications like osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and sarcopenia while struggling with cognitive decline and weight loss.
Dietary adjustments become crucial for your body for hormonal balance and remain healthy in later years.
How Diet Can Support Aging Healthily
Focusing on foods that pack a nutritional punch per calorie makes it easier to meet your body’s increased nutrient needs without compromising calorie intake.
As a result, you can preserve your muscle mass, combat age-related cognitive decline, maintain your blood sugar levels, and avoid weight-related issues common among women over 50.
Best Diets for Women Over 50
Now that we understand the unique nutritional needs and health concerns of women over 50 let's explore some of the best dietary approaches.
1- The Mediterranean Diet:
The Mediterranean diet is one of the healthiest eating patterns. Period. It isn’t just for women over 50 years old. It’s for everybody.
Based on the traditional eating habits of people in countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea, particularly the Greeks, the Mediterranean diet is rich in heart-friendly healthy fats with anti-inflammatory properties.
Pros:
- Good for heart health
- Helps combat inflammation
- Reduced risk of chronic diseases
- Higher life expectancy
- Better bone health
- Protection against cognitive decline
Cons:
The biggest disadvantage of the Mediterranean diet is that it’s easy to forget about how much calories are in its many staples. Olive oil, nuts, and cheese are calorie-dense. If you aren’t careful, you could end up packing on the pounds, which isn’t healthy when you’re already over 50.
Finally, adapting to the Mediterranean diet requires significant changes to your shopping and cooking habits.
2- The DASH Diet:
The DASH diet, otherwise known as Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, isn’t just for lowering blood pressure, although this benefit alone makes it worth considering for women over 50.
Pros:
- Supports overall cardiovascular health
- Balanced essential nutrients
- Good for bone health
- Can aid in weight management
Cons
The DASH diet involves meticulous meal planning and preparation and severely limits sodium intake. Eating out becomes near impossible on the DASH diet, as most restaurant meals are high in both sodium and fat.
3- The Plant-Based Diet:
Plant-based diets, which emphasize fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds, have gained popularity for their health benefits and environmental sustainability.
Pros:
High in fiber, supports digestion, reduces risk of chronic diseases
- Supports healthy digestion
- Reduces risk of age-related digestive issues
- High in heart-healthy nutrients
- Promotes satiety
- May reduce risk of certain cancer types
- For enviromentally conscious women
Cons:
Plant-based diets are notoriously low in essential menopausal nutrients like vitamin B12, iron, zinc, calcium, and protein. All of these are important for older women, who have increased nutrient requirements compared to younger women.
4- The Low-Carb Diet:
Low-carb diets, which restrict carbohydrate intake in favor of proteins and fats, are popular for their potential benefits in weight management and blood sugar control.
Pros:
- Good for weight management
- Helps prevent or manage type 2 diabetes
- May improve insulin sensitivity
- Reduced overall calorie intake
Cons:
Severely restricting carbohydrates may lead to deficiencies in specific vitamins, minerals, and fiber in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. The restrictive nature of low-carb diets can make them difficult to maintain long-term for some individuals. Finally, you may experience side effects like constipation, headaches, irritability, and worse bone health, which is already a problem for postmenopausal women at risk for osteoporosis.
5- Intermittent Fasting:
Intermittent fasting (IF) is not a diet per se but an eating pattern that cycles between periods of fasting and eating, making it beneficial for menopausal women.
Pros:
- Can be an effective strategy for weight loss and maintenance
- May improve metabolic health markers such as blood sugar levels, cholesterol, blood pressure, and waist circumference
- Promotes cellular repair processes for better health
- Flexibility
- Simplifies meal planning and food preparation
Cons:
The two biggest issues with IF is the risk of overeating during feeding windows and the negative impact fasting can have on hormones. IF is also not suitable for all women, especially those who need to take specific medications at certain times of the day that require them to have meals.
6- The Flexitarian Diet:
The Flexitarian diet is a flexible approach to plant-based eating that allows occasional meat consumption.
Pros:
- Offers a good balance of nutrients
- Supports cardiovascular health
- The combination of plant-based foods and lean proteins aids in weight management
- A more sustainable approach compared to restrictive diets
- May align with your values if you’re environmentally conscious
Cons:
The problem with flexibility is accountability—you need to carefully plan your meals to avoid overconsumption of calories and taking in fewer nutrients, especially on days when you exclude animal products from your diet.
You need to put in a lot of thought and preparation to balance plant-based meals with meat dishes to make sure your body gets all the nutrition it needs.
How to Choose the Best Diet for Your Lifestyle
Selecting the right diet is a personal decision that should take into account your individual health needs, preferences, and lifestyle factors.
Dietary Flexibility and Preference
Here at Reverse Health, we don’t believe in elimination diets. The reason for this is simple: you can’t sustain doing something that you don’t enjoy, or you can’t follow through.
The most effective diet is the one that you can stick to long-term because you like what you’re doing and you have the time, patient, and energy for it. Your cultural background and food traditions also play key roles.
How to Maintain Nutritional Balance
Regardless of your diet, focus on nutrient-dense foods to meet your body's needs. High-protein meals for women, in particular, are especially beneficial as you turn 50 to support muscle mass.
Fiber (digestive health) and calcium and vitamin D (bone health) are also important parts of your diet.
Finally, don’t forget to drink water. You shouldn’t overlook adequate water intake. Lack of water is just as bad for your health as unhealthy food choices if not worse.
Practical Meal Planning and Portion Control
The best way to plan meals and control your portions is to study the appropriate portion sizes for your chosen diet and your goals. Also, it helps to plan for healthy snacks to avoid impulsive, calorie-less food choices.
Another point to consider is how your diet will work when you’re eating out or in social situations. Some diets may prove more challenging to maintain in certain situations.
Don’t hesitate to consult your healthcare provider either. Sometimes, the diet you like and can follow long-term may leave you short in certain nutrients, which you can get from supplements. These are decisions based made with the help of a professional.
Example Meals for Each Diet
Here are some meal ideas for each dietary approach to help you visualize how these diets might look in practice. Remember, these are just examples. You should still tailor your meals based on your individual needs and preferences.
Mediterranean Diet Meals
- Breakfast: Greek yogurt topped with honey, walnuts, and fresh berries
- Lunch: Whole grain pita stuffed with hummus, feta cheese, cucumber, tomatoes, and olives
- Dinner: Grilled salmon with roasted vegetables and quinoa, drizzled with olive oil
- Snack: Sliced fresh figs with a small handful of unsalted pistachios
DASH Diet Meals
- Breakfast: Oatmeal topped with sliced banana, chia seeds, and a sprinkle of cinnamon
- Lunch: Turkey and avocado sandwich on whole grain bread with a side of mixed greens
- Dinner: Grilled chicken breast with roasted sweet potato and steamed broccoli
- Snack: Low-fat Greek yogurt with fresh peach slices
Plant-Based Diet Meals
- Breakfast: Smoothie bowl made with plant-based milk, spinach, banana, and topped with chia seeds and sliced almonds
- Lunch: Lentil soup with a side of whole grain crackers and hummus
- Dinner: Stir-fried tofu with mixed vegetables over brown rice
- Snack: Apple slices with almond butter
Low-Carb Diet Meals
- Breakfast: Scrambled eggs with spinach and feta cheese
- Lunch: Grilled chicken salad with mixed greens, avocado, and olive oil dressing
- Dinner: Baked salmon with roasted asparagus and cauliflower rice
- Snack: Celery sticks with cream cheese
Intermittent Fasting Meal Ideas
(Assuming a 16/8 fasting schedule with an eating window from 12 PM to 8 PM)
- 12 PM (Break-fast): Greek yogurt parfait with granola and mixed berries
- 3 PM (Lunch): Grilled vegetable and chicken wrap with a side of cherry tomatoes
- 7 PM (Dinner): Baked cod with quinoa and roasted Brussels sprouts
- Snack (if needed within the eating window): Handful of mixed nuts
Flexitarian Diet Meals
- Breakfast: Whole grain toast with mashed avocado and poached egg
- Lunch: Chickpea and vegetable curry over brown rice
- Dinner: Grilled portobello mushroom "steak" with roasted sweet potato and green beans
- Dinner (alternative): Grilled salmon (or grilled portobello mushroom for a plant-based option) with quinoa and roasted Brussels sprouts
- Snack: Carrot sticks with hummus
Final Thoughts on the Best Diets for Women Over 50
Each woman's nutritional needs, health concerns, and lifestyle factors are unique. The best diet for women over 50 is the one you can sustain for years AND supports your overall health and well-being. It can’t just be one or the other. The best diet plan for you has to have both qualities, so choose a dietary approach that includes foods that you like and find satisfying.
This is why certain diets that offer some flexibility, like the Mediterranean or Flexitarian, are the most popular longevity diets. They’re healthy, easier to maintain, and adaptable. But some people prefer structure, which is also good. Again, it’s all up to you and what fits you best.
Regardless of your diet choice, it’s best to consult with your healthcare provider before making significant changes, especially if you have existing health conditions or you’re taking maintenance medication.
Last but certainly not least, do enjoy yourself. Your 50s should be a celebratory time. You should enjoy this stage of your life. The reason why you’re adopting a healthy diet isn’t just to stay healthy and lose weight–it's about nourishing a body that lets you live the life that you want as you hit the half-century mark.
FAQs
What should women over 50 focus on in their diet?
Prioritize lean protein, calcium, vitamin D, fiber, and healthy fats to support bone health, muscle maintenance, and weight management.
Which diet works best for weight loss in women over 50?
Mediterranean, plant-based, or low-carb diets (like Keto) are effective for weight loss while promoting overall health.
How can women over 50 improve bone health through diet?
Eat calcium-rich foods like dairy and leafy greens, and get enough vitamin D from sunlight or foods like fatty fish.
Is intermittent fasting safe for women over 50?
Yes, but consult a doctor first. It can help with weight and blood sugar control, as long as you eat nutrient-dense foods during non-fasting periods.
Which nutrients are most important for women over 50?
Focus on calcium, vitamin D, magnesium, omega-3s, protein, and fiber to support bone, heart, and muscle health.
