Adults

Adults of all ages have different nutrition and physical activity needs as their lives and bodies change.

As you age, keeping healthy habits may help you lower your chance of getting certain diseases like cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure (hypertension). Make healthy eating a priority and stay active.

Eat Healthy

Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, protein foods, and fat-free or low-fat dairy products are healthy choices.
Eat different types of protein foods in your diet. This can include seafood, lean meats, poultry, beans, peas, lentils, nuts, seeds, soy products, and eggs.
Limit foods and beverages higher in added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium.

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Get Your Plan

As you age, manage our calories to stay at a healthy weight. This will help you prevent weight gain over time. Find the amount of calories right for you using the MyPlate Plan.

Move More

Jogging, playing team sports, and biking are just a few examples of how you can stay active. Every little bit helps. Just remember to move more and sit less! Learn more in this Move Your Way Fact Sheet for Adults.

MyPlate Tips on Alexa

Get MyPlate nutrition information straight to your home on your Amazon Alexa smart speaker, or on your phone or tablet via the free Amazon Alexa app. For more information, visit our MyPlate Alexa page.

Below are some of the many tips available for adults. And just like the MyPlate.gov website and MyPlate tools, all of the information provided by MyPlate on Alexa is based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025.

Calcium and Vitamin D

The nutrients in dairy are important for all ages. Include foods like low-fat or fat-free dairy milk or yogurt. Need an alternative? Try lactose-free dairy milk or yogurt that's low-fat or fat-free. You can also try fortified soy versions.

Healthy Eating

Serve up variety. At your next event, create a colorful buffet table that includes a variety of foods from all the food groups.

Protein

Get creative with beans, peas, and lentils. Make chili or stews with kidney or pinto beans, a bowl of split pea soup for lunch or dinner, or lentils as a side dish. Check online for recipe ideas.

Beverages

Perk up plain water or seltzer water with lemon, lime, or orange slices. Maybe even add some fresh mint leaves or a few fresh or frozen berries.

Dairy/ Fortified Soy Alternatives

Move to low-fat or fat-free dairy milk or yogurt, or lactose-free dairy or fortified soy versions.

Added Sugars

Share dessert with someone else. Half a pastry or slice of cake means only half the added sugars (and calories) for each of you.

Sodium/ Salt

Look for cue words. Items that are “pickled,” “brined,” or “cured” tend to be high in sodium. Include these foods in your meals sparingly.

Dietary Fiber

Start your meal with veggies. If you start your meal with a salad or eat your vegetables first, you will feel full sooner and ensure that you get valuable vegetable nutrients.

Fats

Eat nuts, seeds, and fatty fish like tuna, salmon, and sardines. These foods, as well as vegetable oils like olive and canola, are good sources of unsaturated fat, which is a healthier fat option.

Grains

Switch up pizza night. Create individual, homemade pizzas on whole-wheat English muffins or tortillas. Or, make a traditional pizza using a pre-made whole-wheat flour. Don’t forget the veggie toppings.