Nutrition for adults 40 years and over: 7 that must be fulfilled

Everyone at all ages should always meet their nutritional needs every day. Especially for those of you who are starting to enter your 40s. At the age of four, various body functions have begun to decline and your metabolism is not as good as it was when you were young. This aging effect makes you even more vulnerable to the risk of health problems and chronic disease. To overcome this, you need the help of micronutrient ammunition from a variety of healthy foods. The following are nutritional recommendations for adults aged 40 years and over that must be fulfilled.

Nutritional requirements for adults 40 years and over

The following is a list of nutritional needs for adults aged 40 years and over that must be fulfilled every day, especially micronutrients (vitamins and minerals).

1. Calcium

Calcium intake should be fulfilled even since you were a child. Kristin Kirkpatrick, MS, RD, manager of Wellness Nutrition Programs at the Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute, states that the calcium you get from a young age guarantees the health and strength of bones and teeth in old age. Calcium is also useful for maintaining healthy muscles, heart and nerves.

Calcium levels in the body will peak at the age of 20-25 years, but will start to slowly decline thereafter. That's why calcium is one of the nutritional needs for adults that must be met at the age of 40 years and over.

Referring to the 2013 Ministry of Health's Nutrition Adequacy Rate (RDA), the calcium requirement for those of you aged 40 years and over is 1,000 mg per day. Apart from milk and processed products, you can get calcium from sardines, anchovies, eggs, dark green vegetables (broccoli, spinach, bokcoy, lettuce), oranges, and tofu.

2. Magnesium

Magnesium is a mineral that is one of the nutritional needs of adults aged 40s and over. People who are deficient in magnesium are usually at risk for heart disease, diabetes, and chronic inflammation.

This is because magnesium helps regulate blood pressure, especially for women who are at risk of hypertension due to aging. In addition, magnesium also helps the body absorb calcium and functions to strengthen muscles, nerves, heart function, and control blood sugar.

The need for magnesium for men and women in their 40s is different. Men 40s and over need about 350 mg of magnesium per day, while women as much as 320 mg per day. You can meet your magnesium needs from a variety of the best food sources such as dark green leafy vegetables, bananas, nuts, soybeans, and avocados.

3. Potassium

Potassium also plays an important role in keeping blood pressure stable. In addition, this mineral also helps maintain the pH balance of the body. In elderly and middle-aged women, studies have shown that adequate potassium intake can reduce the risk of postmenopausal stroke.

Men and women aged 40 years and over both need 4,700 mg of potassium per day. You can get it from a variety of healthy foods such as green vegetables, tomatoes, avocados, bananas, sweet potatoes, radishes, and nuts. Try to eat these foods in their freshest form or cook only lightly to keep the potassium content intact.

4. Omega-3

Omega-3 fatty acids, including the nutritional needs of adults near middle age, should not be missed. Omega-3s can help fight inflammation, lower blood pressure and bad LDL cholesterol, and lower the risk of heart disease. These essential fatty acids also play a role in maintaining brain health and keeping you from memory problems associated with aging.

Your daily omega-3 needs are determined by your current health condition. If you are healthy and fit, then you only need as much as 500 mg per day. However, if you have heart disease, then you need to get around 800-1,000 mg of omega-3 each day. If you have high triglyceride levels, you will need around 2,000 to 4,000 mg of omega-3 each day.

A variety of foods rich in omega-3s are mackerel, salmon, anchovies, fresh tuna, catfish, cabbage, whole wheat oatmeal, broccoli, cauliflower, and spinach. You can also get additional intake from fish oil supplements. We recommend that you consult your doctor first to determine what dose of omega-3 is right for you.

5. Vitamin D

After entering the age of 40 years, vitamin D is needed to protect the body from the effects of aging that are starting to emerge. Vitamin D is good for healthy bones, teeth, immunity, heart function and nervous system. This vitamin, which is also known as the sun vitamin, also helps the absorption of calcium so that it can be utilized optimally by the body.

Sunlight is one of the best sources of vitamin D. Therefore, try to bask in the morning sun for about 10 minutes before nine o'clock in the morning. Apart from sunlight, various dairy products, whole grains, tuna, egg yolks, cheese and button mushrooms are also good sources of vitamin D for the body. For both men and women aged 40 years and over, the required daily intake of vitamin D is 15 micrograms (mcg).

6. Vitamin B12

Vitamin which is also one of the nutritional needs for adults over 40 years is vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 is important for maintaining brain and eye health, from childhood to adulthood.

This vitamin is actually more easily absorbed from food sources such as chicken, fish, milk and eggs. However, as people get older, the production of stomach acid starts a little so that it will be difficult to digest vitamin B12 from food. To outsmart, you can take supplements with a dosage range of 2.4 micrograms (mcg) per day. It is better to consult with your doctor first.

7. Probiotics

Although not including vitamins or minerals, probiotics are still one of the nutrients that should be fulfilled by people in middle age.

Probiotics help maintain intestinal health, maintain ideal body weight, and reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes and stroke. To meet their daily needs, you can consume probiotics from various dairy products such as yogurt, miso, pickles, kimchi, to soy fermented products such as tofu and tempeh.