The 3 Stages of Adult Nutrition
By Sara Butler
You've probably realized that you simply can't eat as if you were 18 anymore. If you've noticed small shifts in your nutritional needs over the years, you're right. When you're trying to figure out how to eat healthy, one of the first things you must consider is your age. That's because there are different recommendations for your diet as your body ages and each stage has different nutritional requirements. Here are the three main stages of adult nutrition and how you should eat for each in order to support optimal health.
Early Adulthood
The United States Department of Agriculture provides dietary guidelines for everyone. According to them, you're in early adulthood nutritionally between the ages of 19 and 30. During this time, you need calories to fuel an active lifestyle and achieve optimal health.
During this stage, women are recommended to have about 2,000 calories per day while men should get between 2,500 and 3,000 calories per day. Generally, the more active you are, then the more calories you should eat. People in this age range also need to pay attention to fiber intake. Women should shoot for about 28 grams per day while men should shoot for about 33 grams per day.
Middle Age
Don't get too depressed by this, but nutritionally middle age starts and 31 and ends at 50. In this age range, your metabolism will start to slow down, which is something you'll need to take into account when choosing how much you eat each day. According to the USDA, middle-aged women need about 1,800 calories per day while men need about 2,200.
It's understood that for every decade you age your metabolism slows down by about 100 calories per day -- so you'll need to plan accordingly. And don't forget about fiber because women still need to get about 25 grams per day while men should shoot for about 30 grams.
Women in this age range also need to pay attention to daily iron intake, aiming for about 18 milligrams of iron per day.
Late Adulthood
Your golden years begin nutritionally after age 50. During this time of life, you'll need to make some adjustments to your diet to stay healthy. The USDA recommends women over 51 get about 1,600 calories per day while men get about 2,000 calories. Fiber remains important with a goal of about 22 grams per day for women and 28 grams for men.
Keep in mind that older adults also need to ensure they're getting enough of other important nutrients such as Vitamin B6 as well as calcium. Talk to your chiropractor with questions about what you need.
No matter your age, if you need help navigating the sometimes murky waters of nutrition, then talk to a chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic today!
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Fort Worth, Tex.