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Featuring Andy De Santis, RD, MPH, Registered Dietician

Nutritional benefit of eggs educational video.

Healthy Protein after 50 years of age.

After 50, getting enough protein can help preserve muscle mass, strength, and bone health, especially when combined with resistance exercise.

Good protein choices after 50

  • 🐟 Fish & seafood: salmon, sardines, tuna, trout, shrimp

  • 🍗 Lean poultry: chicken or turkey

  • 🥚 Eggs: convenient, high-quality protein

  • 🥛 Greek yogurt & cottage cheese: high protein; choose lower-sugar options

  • 🫘 Beans & lentils: protein plus fiber

  • 🌱 Tofu, tempeh & edamame: excellent plant proteins

  • 🥩 Lean meat: beef or pork in moderate portions

  • 🥜 Nuts & seeds: useful additions, though relatively calorie-dense

  • 🥤 Protein powder: convenient if food alone doesn’t provide enough

Mr. Andy De Santis, RD, MPH, Registered Dietician

Educational video on shellfish nutritional value.

Fish and seafood are excellent protein choices after 50, especially for maintaining muscle and getting important nutrients.

Fish/seafood Approx. protein per 100 g cooked Notable benefits
Salmon ~25 g Protein + omega-3 fats
Sardines ~25 g Protein + omega-3s + calcium
Tuna ~29 g Very high protein, low fat
Trout ~26 g Protein + omega-3s
Shrimp ~24 g High protein, relatively low calorie

Good choices after 50

Aim to include fish 2–3 times per week, with some choices such as salmon, sardines, or trout for their omega-3 fats. Varying your seafood choices is also useful because mercury levels differ among fish.

For muscle maintenance, a typical meal containing 25–35 g of protein is a practical target for many older adults.

A commonly used target for healthy adults over 50 is roughly 1.0–1.2 g of protein per kg of body weight per day, with higher amounts sometimes appropriate for people who are physically active or trying to preserve muscle during weight loss.

For example, someone weighing 160 lb (73 kg) might aim for approximately 73–88 g/day.

Rather than eating most of it at dinner, spreading protein across 3 meals can be useful for supporting muscle maintenance.

If you tell me your age, weight, sex, activity level, and whether your goal is muscle gain, weight loss, or general health, I can calculate a practical daily protein target and give you a simple one-day meal plan.

Sarah Blunden Registered Dietician

Educational video on soy products and nutrition.

Tofu, tempeh, and edamame are excellent plant-based protein choices after 50, particularly for helping maintain muscle as you age.

  • 🌱 Tofu: About 10–20 g protein per 100 g, depending on firmness and brand. Versatile and relatively low in saturated fat.

  • 🌱 Tempeh: About 18–20 g per 100 g. It is fermented and provides protein plus fiber.

  • 🫛 Edamame: About 11–12 g per 100 g cooked. It also provides fiber, folate, and minerals.

For muscle maintenance after 50

Try to include a protein-rich food at each meal. For example:

Breakfast: eggs + Greek yogurt
Lunch: tofu or tempeh stir-fry
Snack: edamame
Dinner: salmon, beans, or chicken

Plant proteins can absolutely be part of a healthy high-protein diet after 50. If you want, I can give you a 7-day high-protein meal plan for people over 50, including exact portions and protein grams.

 

Mr. Andy De Santis, Registered Dietician

The Power of milk and nutrition.

Milk can be a useful food after 50, particularly for protein, calcium, and vitamin B12.

Milk nutrition after 50

For about 1 cup (250 mL) of cow’s milk:

  • 🥛 Protein: ~8 g — helps support muscle maintenance

  • 🦴 Calcium: ~300 mg — important for bones

  • 💪 Vitamin D: often fortified; supports bone health

  • 🧠 Vitamin B12: supports normal nerve and blood-cell function

  • ⚡ Calories: roughly 90–160 depending on fat content

  • Carbohydrates: ~12 g, mostly naturally occurring lactose

Which milk is a good choice?

  • 1% or 2% milk: good everyday options if you want protein and calcium with less saturated fat.

  • Skim milk: similar protein and calcium with fewer calories.

  • Whole milk: more calories and saturated fat, but can fit into a healthy diet depending on your overall diet.

  • Lactose-free milk: nutritionally similar to regular milk and useful if lactose bothers you.

  • Fortified soy milk: a good plant-based alternative; choose one with similar protein and added calcium/vitamin D.

For muscle health after 50, milk works particularly well alongside eggs, Greek yogurt, fish, tofu, beans, or lean meat rather than relying on milk alone for protein.

Eggs are an excellent protein food after age 50 and are especially convenient at breakfast or as a snack.

  • 🥚 1 large egg: about 6–7 g of protein

  • 2 eggs: about 12–14 g

  • Eggs provide high-quality, complete protein containing all essential amino acids.

  • They also provide vitamin B12, choline, selenium, and other nutrients.

  • For maintaining muscle after 50, combining eggs with other protein foods can help you reach your daily protein target.

Easy high-protein breakfast

2 eggs + Greek yogurt + berries can provide roughly 25–30 g of protein, depending on the yogurt.

If you have high cholesterol, diabetes, or heart disease, your overall diet and individual dietary advice may need to be considered when deciding how many whole eggs to eat.

Healthy Eating NOW Types of Foods that are Important

Sarah Blunden Registered Dietician

Educational video on healthy proteins.

Andy De Santis, RD, MPH, Registered Dietician

Educational video on White and Pink Fish and Allergy Risks

Andy De Santis, RD, MPH, Registered Dietician

Yogurt - A Nutritious Snack, Breakfast or Dessert

Title

Shellfish can be an excellent part of a healthy diet after 50, especially for protein and several important micronutrients.

Shellfish nutrition after 50

Shellfish Protein per 100 g cooked* Notable nutrients
🦐 Shrimp ~24 g Selenium, B12, iodine
🦀 Crab ~19 g B12, zinc, selenium
🦞 Lobster ~19 g B12, selenium, zinc
🦪 Oysters ~9 g Very high in zinc and B12, plus iron
🐚 Mussels ~24 g B12, iron, selenium

*Approximate values; preparation and species affect nutrition.

Why they’re useful after 50

  • High-quality protein: Supports muscle maintenance.

  • Vitamin B12: Important for normal nerve and blood-cell function.

  • Selenium and zinc: Support normal immune function.

  • Iron: Particularly useful from shellfish such as oysters and mussels.

  • Omega-3 fats: Oysters and mussels provide some, although fatty fish such as salmon generally provide more.

Yogurt can be an excellent food after 50, especially for protein, calcium, and gut health.

Yogurt nutrition after 50

For about 1 cup (225–250 g) of yogurt, amounts vary by type:

  • 💪 Protein: Regular yogurt often has ~8–12 g; Greek yogurt can provide ~15–25 g

  • 🦴 Calcium: Typically ~200–300 mg

  • 🧠 Vitamin B12: Helps support normal nerve and blood-cell function

  • 🦠 Live cultures: Many yogurts contain probiotics that may support digestive health

  • 🍓 Carbohydrates: Mostly lactose, with considerably more sugar in flavored varieties

A good choice

Plain Greek yogurt is particularly useful after 50 because it provides a substantial amount of protein in a relatively small serving.