The Vegan Diet Guide after 50

The food you eat to fuel your body affects your quality of life. As you get older, you might start to notice that different foods affect how you feel. Some foods give you the energy that lasts all day, while others leave you feeling tired and sluggish. Enter vegan diets. These plant-based diets are praised for their health benefits. A 2018 Gallup poll revealed that 3% of adults 65 and older said they ate a vegan diet, and 3% of adults between ages of 50 and 64 considered themselves to be vegetarians. Unlike a vegetarian diet, which can include dairy products and eggs, a vegan diet requires you to remove all animal products in favor of fruits and vegetables, protein-packed pulses like dried peas and beans, and plant-based alternatives to meat and dairy.

An inevitable part of ageing is physical change. We don't absorb some nutrients as well as before, our hormone levels decline, the immune system gets weaker and we may have some common ailments, such as joint or back pain. Some of us also start indulging in junk foods and treats a little too much - there's nothing wrong with treats, but if they become your main source of energy, you won't be getting enough essential nutrients. Too many 'empty' calories and too little of what our bodies truly need can cause a range of unnecessary health issues. Some old age maladies are partly caused by poor nutrition.

So what are the key elements of a healthy vegan diet for people over 50? It is vital to maintain a healthy diet and an active lifestyle to decrease the chance of a variety of diseases, injuries, and health complications. For those over 50, the foods that provide plentiful protein are the most beneficial.

• 1/4 cup tahini
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed into a paste
• big squeeze of fresh lemon juice
• 5 T water, or more
• salt to taste
• 1 bunch of broccoli, trimmed
• 2 cups turmeric chickpeas
• 1 bunch of chives, minced
• 1/4 cup toasted pinenuts
• 4-5 big handfuls of arugula
• 1 - 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil