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Life over 50: the foods you should eliminate (or to keep under control)

It is commonly said that you are what you eat, and lo and behold, after the age of 50 this statement is even more true. Indeed, scientific research has shown that proper nutrition can extend life expectancy by at least 10 years.

As you enter the fifth decade of life, you have to pay much more attention to what you didn't even know when you were 20. After all, eating habits and needs change with age, and different needs correspond to each period of life.

Specifically, after 50, there are certain foods that become extremely harmful, and it would be best to limit or avoid their intake. Although a proper eating plan should always be agreed with your doctor or a nutritionist, following these small general tips will help you feel better. Trust us, you will not regret it.

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Life over 50: the foods you should eliminate (or keep under control)
It is commonly said that you are what you eat, and lo and behold, after the age of 50 this statement is even more true. Indeed, scientific research has shown that proper nutrition can extend life expectancy by at least 10 years. As you enter the fifth decade of life, you have to pay much more attention to what you didn't even know when you were 20. After all, eating habits and needs change with age, and different needs correspond to each period of life. Specifically, after 50, there are certain foods that become extremely harmful, and it would be best to limit or avoid their intake. Although a proper eating plan should always be agreed with your doctor or a nutritionist, following these small general tips will help you feel better. Trust us, you will not regret it.
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Saturated fats are detrimental to health
Saturated fats, such as those found in sausages, butter and cheese, have been shown to increase levels of 'bad' LDL cholesterol. Why is this type of cholesterol so harmful? For starters, it worsens the risk of heart attacks and strokes, which is why experts recommend that it make up no more than 10 per cent of the diet of an adult over the age of 50. Adult men should consume no more than 30 g of saturated fat per day, while women should consume no more than 20 g.
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Raw eggs are not optimal, for several reasons
Again, raw eggs can carry bacterial diseases, such as salmonella. We are not only talking about raw eggs per se, but also about all foods that contain undercooked eggs, such as hollandaise sauce, eggnog and... carbonara. There is another reason why cooked eggs are better for the over-50s. The metabolism changes, and the ability to assimilate nutrients decreases. One study found that people who ate raw eggs absorbed only 50% of the protein they contained, while those who ate cooked eggs absorbed 90%.
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Less alcohol and you will live longer
Did you know that the ability to metabolise alcohol decreases with age? Do you wonder why at a certain age you are no longer able to drink like you used to? This happens because in the over-50s, alcohol stays in the bloodstream longer, whereas young people have such quantities of water that it is diluted better, and the hangover is also heavier. Studies recommend drinking no more than 7 units of alcohol for women, and 8 for men, once you are over 50. If you find that you are drinking more than this amount, it would be better to reduce, and quickly.
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Fried foods? After 50 they should be sipped in moderation
A study published in the British Medical Journal has clarified beyond doubt that there is a correlation between daily consumption of fried foods and increased mortality from all types of causes. People of a certain age are at a higher risk of developing heart disease, cancer and diabetes, and since fried foods further increase this risk, it is necessary to limit their quantity from the age of five onwards.
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Salt, be careful especially after the age of 50
Too much sodium can raise blood pressure, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. This can happen to anyone, but for the over-50s the risk is higher. Blood pressure increases with age, as does the possibility of having a stroke or heart failure.
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Sprouts are to be avoided after 50
It is certain that all raw foods have a health hazard in them, but sprouts after the age of 50 are particularly to be avoided, or at least limited. A study carried out by the FDA revealed that sprouts have a high probability of containing pathogens, due to the warm, moist and nutrient-rich environment in which they grow. The same study showed the presence of salmonella and listeria in some analysed samples, which can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, fever and dehydration. In older people, these conditions can prove fatal, also because after a certain age the immune system no longer functions perfectly.
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Ready-made meals: after age 50 they cause huge weight gain
It happens, after a busy day, to take a ready-made dish from the refrigerator, heat it up and eat it with little effort and a lot of taste. However, after a certain age, it is a very unhealthy habit. First of all, these dishes are calorie bombs that result in severe weight gain, since the metabolism of a 50-year-old person works differently than that of a 20-, 30- or 40-year-old. In addition, these dishes often contain salt, sugar, artificial sweeteners and saturated fats, while they are scarce in fiber, vitamins and minerals.
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The new fashion of unpasteurized milk
The vast majority of the milk we drink undergoes the pasteurisation process, which uses heat to remove toxins and bacteria, but recently there has been a trend to drink raw, unpasteurised milk. This is because it is thought, or at least some claim, to cure eczema, allergies and lactose intolerance. However, the FDA strongly disagrees, as 'raw' milk increases the risk of ingesting harmful pathogens. Above the age of 50, the immune system starts to struggle, and ingesting bacteria such as salmonella, campylobacter, listeria and more could prove fatal.
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Highly processed foods are to be avoided at any age
It is no secret that highly processed foods, especially sweet ones, are a huge detriment to health. This is because they contain large amounts of sugar, salt and saturated fat, as well as preservatives, sweeteners and colourings. All added sugars greatly increase the chances of diabetes, heart disease and even cancer. In addition, they cause severe weight gain, and the older you get, the more you lose the ability to dispose of what you eat, increasing the danger of cardiovascular problems.
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Are low-sugar foods really healthy?
The risk here is how this type of food is presented. When foods with little or no sugar are displayed on the shelves, most often the latter is replaced with equivalent but even more harmful industrial substances, such as aspartame, which many studies link to an increased risk of developing certain forms of cancer. Consumption of these toxins can also aggravate cardiovascular problems, which is particularly bad for the over-50s, since the risk profile of heart disease increases with age.
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