5 vital nutrients you need as you get older

Consuming healthy and nourishing food is important at every stage of life, but some nutrients become even more important as you age.

Registered dietitian Michelle Jaelin joined Annette Hamm on Morning Live to reveal five vital nutrients needed for good health as you get older.

Calcium and Vitamin D

The first two nutrients Jaelin recommended are calcium and vitamin D.

“As we get older, we start to lose bone mass,” she said. “We want to make sure that we get enough calcium and vitamin D to keep our bones strong.”

Food sources of these two micronutrients are leafy greens, fatty fish and dairy products.

Jaelin noted that it is important to take a calcium supplement with vitamin D because this vitamin helps the body to absorb calcium.

Vitamin B12

The third nutrient Jaelin shared is vitamin B12 because the body cannot absorb it as well as you age.

 “B12 helps with body functions like nerve functioning, blood cells and brain functioning,” she said.

Meat products, fish products, seaweed and nutritional yeast are abundant in vitamin B12.

Fibre

On top of reducing constipation, fibre helps to maintain optimal gut health and decrease the risk of diabetes and heart disease.

Jaelin said the average adult consumes only 10g of fibre daily. She recommended 25g to 30g of fibre every day.

Foods that are high in fibre include whole grains, fresh fruit and vegetables, beans, legumes, nuts and seeds.

Protein

The final nutrient that is vital as we age is protein.

After age 30, Jaelin said you naturally begin to lose muscle. This condition is called sarcopenia and it is associated with as much as 3 to 5 per cent muscle loss per decade.

Protein-rich foods are meat products, tofu, peanut butter, fish products and protein powder.