Patriot Health Digest
Even so-called good nutrients, like iron and folic acid, should not be eaten in large amounts as you get older.
Healthy eating and aging go together: The more nutrient-dense items you put on your plate (combined with other habits like routine exercise and managing stress), the greater your possibility of living longer.
But consuming ​certain​ nutrients too much can increase your chances of getting chronic diseases and decrease your ability to age well.
Stop any possible damage and live longer by avoiding these three nutrients, which are especially harmful.
1. Sugar
Too much sugar can harm your health, especially as you get older.
Eating too much sugar can boost your risk for diabetes and increase your triglyceride levels, possibly leading to heart disease. Also, a diet that is high in processed foods, like sugar, is linked with obesity.
Instead, go for vegetables and stick to smaller portions of carbs and look at food labels to catch any added sugars before they get onto your plate.
2. Nitrates
If you want to age better, get rid of nitrate-containing foods too.
Nitrates are compounds that are used to improve the appearance of some foods including processed meats such as bacon, ham, deli meat and hot dogs.
In excess, nitrate foods — which usually tend to have lots of sodium — could lead to heart disease by triggering your arteries to narrow and harden. And they seem to be connected to the onset of diabetes.
They might be ok now and again, but do your best to limit these nitrate foods from your meals.
3. Sodium
While you require sodium, when taken too much, it can cause havoc on your body. Too much sodium can cause hypertension and even heart disease.
Unfortunately, it is very easy to consume too much salt. That is because some foods — such as the highly processed foods or restaurant items — can have high as 1,400 milligrams of sodium for each serving.
For context, it is recommended that you get under 2,000 milligrams each day. Still, the average person in American consumes over 3,200 milligrams each day.
Watching your food labels is crucial. Anything with more than a 20 percent Daily Value (DV) is a high-sodium item. To lower your sodium, go for foods that are less than 700 milligrams for each serving and increase your vegetable and fruit intake.
Author: Scott Dowdy
