4 Carbs to Eat for Healthier Aging, According to a New Study
Reviewed by Dietitian Annie Nguyen, M.A., RDA new study linked high-quality carbohydrate intake in midlife to healthier aging.
High-quality carbs include those from whole grains, fruits, nonstarchy vegetables and legumes.
Those carbs were associated with better physical function and cognitive health decades later.What you eat in your 40s and 50s might help determine how well you age decades later. According to a new study published in JAMA Network Open, women who consumed more high-quality carbohydrates and fiber in midlife were significantly more likely to reach older adulthood with good physical and cognitive function—and without major chronic illnesses.
The study supports what nutrition experts have long suspected: it's not just about how many carbohydrates you eat, but which ones you choose. Carbs from whole plant foods , like fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains, were linked to a higher likelihood of healthy aging. Meanwhile, diets high in refined carbohydrates (think: cookies, white-flour pasta) had the opposite effect.
If you're looking for simple, sustainable ways to support your future health, this research makes a strong case for upgrading the quality of your carbs.
Related: 9 of the Healthiest Whole Grains to Help You Eat More Fiber
Researchers from Tufts University and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health conducted a prospective cohort study—a study that follows a group of people over time—using data from the well-known Nurses' Health Study. This long-running study has followed more than 100,000 female nurses since 1976, collecting detailed information about their diets, lifestyles and health.
For this analysis, the researchers focused on more than 47,000 women who were under the age of 60 in 1984. Participants completed comprehensive food frequency questionnaires in 1984 and 1986, and researchers tracked their diets and health outcomes over the next 30-plus years. By 2016, the women were between ages 70 and 93.
Just under 8% of the women qualified as healthy agers. To define 'healthy aging,' the researchers looked for women who met all of the following criteria:
They were free from 11 major chronic diseases (including cancer, heart disease, and diabetes).
They had no significant memory or physical impairments.
They reported good mental health.
The researchers then analyzed the associations between different types of carbohydrate intake in midlife and the odds of meeting that definition of healthy aging decades later.
The biggest takeaway was simple: quality counts when it comes to carbs and aging.
Women who ate more high-quality carbohydrates—specifically those found in whole grains, fruits, vegetables and legumes—had significantly greater odds of aging in good health. Every 10% increase in calories from these types of carbs was associated with a higher likelihood of healthy aging.
Eating more fiber-rich foods was also linked to better outcomes. The analysis found that consuming high-quality carbohydrates from whole grains, fruits, vegetables and legumes, as well as higher total dietary fiber during midlife, was associated with a 6% to 37% higher chance of healthy aging and improvements in various aspects of mental and physical health.
Meanwhile, diets high in refined carbohydrates—those from added sugars, white bread and other processed grains—were linked to worse outcomes. Women who ate more refined carbs had a 13% lower likelihood of aging well. Starchy vegetables like potatoes and corn were also associated with poorer aging markers, particularly when consumed in large amounts.
The researchers also examined glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL), which reflect how much and how quickly a carbohydrate-rich food raises blood sugar. A higher GI and a higher carbohydrate-to-fiber ratio were both associated with significantly lower odds of healthy aging. Interestingly, GL was positively associated with healthy aging, but that association weakened when fiber intake was factored in—suggesting that fiber-rich foods were driving the benefit.
Finally, the researchers looked at what would happen if certain macronutrients were replaced with high-quality carbs. Replacing refined carbohydrates, fat or animal protein with high-quality carbs resulted in a 7% to 16% increase in the odds of healthy aging.
Related: 11 Best Pantry Staples for Healthy Aging, Recommended by Dietitians
The good news is that the 'high-quality carbs' linked to healthy aging are easy to find in your local grocery store—and likely already part of your diet. And if you want to add more of them to your noshing routine, we have some recipes and recommendations to help you on that front.
You can start by choosing whole grains more often. Opt for brown rice, quinoa, oats, bulgur or farro instead of white rice or refined pasta. Recipes like our Farro Salad with Grilled Chicken or brown rice-packed Chicken, Spinach and Rice Casserole make whole grains as tasty as they are nutritious.
We also know that piling on the produce is a great choice for healthy carbs. Try adding an extra serving of vegetables or fruit to each meal. Frozen and canned options (without added sugar or salt) are great, affordable choices. Adding legumes to your routine can help, too. Beans, lentils and chickpeas are budget-friendly, fiber-packed sources of plant-based carbs and protein. They're the stars of delicious bites like our Marry Me Lentils and Chickpea & Sweet Potato Grain Bowls.
And making some snacking changes could help you out, too—especially if you tend to opt for more processed, refined snacks. Try switching processed favorites like crackers and chips for options like fresh fruit, roasted chickpeas or whole-grain toast with nut butter. These small changes can build up over time, potentially helping to preserve your mental clarity, physical strength and overall well-being well into your later years.
Related: 6 Habits Women in Their 20s Should Start for Healthy Aging, According to Experts
A new study in JAMA Network Open suggests that women who eat more high-quality carbs in midlife may experience better health as they age. Women who ate more fiber-rich foods and carbs from fruits, veggies and whole grains in midlife had better odds of staying healthy, active and sharp as they got older. This study adds to growing evidence that not all carbs are created equal—especially when it comes to aging well. Choosing more whole, plant-based carbs over refined ones could be a simple yet powerful strategy to support healthy aging.
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