{"id":811077,"date":"2026-07-18T23:47:43","date_gmt":"2026-07-18T23:47:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/811077\/"},"modified":"2026-07-18T23:47:43","modified_gmt":"2026-07-18T23:47:43","slug":"liz-earle-shares-the-6-healthy-eating-rules-she-swears-by-in-her-60s-and-why-protein-always-comes-first","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/811077\/","title":{"rendered":"Liz Earle shares the 6 healthy eating rules she swears by in her 60s \u2013 and why protein always comes first"},"content":{"rendered":"

Liz Earle<\/a> has been talking about health and wellness since long before it turned into an extensive 14-step wind-down evening routine, a TikTok-approved peptide<\/a> stack and some expensive salts stirred into a glass of water.<\/a><\/p>\n

Over a career spanning more than three decades, the 63-year-old bestselling author and founder of Liz Earle Wellbeing has a simple (and, let’s be honest, totally refreshing) approach to food and healthy eating<\/a>. <\/p>\n

\u2018If we want to age well, maintain our energy, protect our muscles and keep our brain sharp, then what we put on our plate matters more than almost anything else,\u2019 she tells viewers on her YouTube channel.<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2018The good news,\u2019 she adds, \u2018is that we don\u2019t need a complicated diet or a cupboard full of expensive supplements. In fact, when I\u2019m building a meal, I focus on just six things.\u2019<\/p>\n

Interested? This is Liz Earle’s six-step guide to healthy eating.<\/p>\n

\"cracking<\/p>\n

Viktoriya Skorikova\/\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

Step 1: Start with protein<\/p>\n

If there\u2019s one nutrient we become more dependent on as we age, it\u2019s protein<\/a>, says Liz. \u2018That\u2019s because our muscles become less responsive to protein over time \u2013 a process known as anabolic resistance.\u2019<\/p>\n

In simple terms, this means we need more protein than we did in our younger years to maintain the muscle we already have. And muscle does more than keep us strong \u2013 as Liz points out, it\u2019s also linked to our metabolism<\/a>, balance, mobility, blood sugar control and, inevitably, healthy ageing.<\/p>\n

So before she thinks about anything else on her plate, she asks herself one simple question: where\u2019s the protein?<\/p>\n

Liz suggests aiming for around 1.2g to 1.5g of protein per kilogram of body weight every day as a \u2018sensible target\u2019. Spread over three meals a day, that might work out at around 25g to 30g of protein per meal.<\/p>\n

Some easy examples? Three eggs with greens or Greek yoghurt with berries for breakfast, chicken or fish with lentils for lunch, or salmon with greens and grains at dinner.<\/p>\n

\u2018If you struggle to hit your protein target at meals, don\u2019t forget that you can add some protein-rich snacks throughout the day. My go-tos are things like cottage cheese, boiled eggs and edamame beans,\u2019 she says.<\/p>\n

\u2018Protein really is the foundation of a healthy-ageing plate,\u2019 she adds. \u2018So that is where I always begin.\u2019<\/p>\n

\"avocado<\/p>\n

Aleksandar Georgiev Vrzalski\/\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

Step 2: Add healthy fats<\/p>\n

Next, Liz adds a source of healthy fats.
<\/p>\n

\u2018I\u2019ve said it before: fat is not something to be feared. The right fats are some of our greatest allies when it comes to healthy ageing,\u2019 she says.<\/p>\n

Likening healthy fats<\/a> to \u2018the moisturiser for our cells,\u2019 she explains that every cell membrane in our body is built from fat. Healthy fats are also needed for hormone production, brain function, nutrient absorption and cellular repair.<\/p>\n

\u2018Omega-3<\/a> fats, in particular, help support heart and brain health and healthy inflammation levels throughout the whole body,\u2019 she adds.<\/p>\n

Some of Liz’s favourite sources include oily fish, such as salmon, sardines and mackerel, as well as extra-virgin olive oil, avocados, nuts, seeds and full-fat dairy.<\/p>\n

\u2018A drizzle of olive oil, a handful of walnuts or half an avocado can literally transform a meal,\u2019 she says.<\/p>\n

Step 3: Choose your carbohydrates wisely<\/p>\n

Rather than avoiding carbohydrates, Liz recommends being selective about the types you put on your plate.<\/p>\n

\u2018As we age, the type of carbohydrate<\/a> we eat becomes increasingly important. I like to think of carbohydrates as either working for us or against us,\u2019 Liz explains.<\/p>\n

\u2018The carbohydrates that work for us are rich in fibre. They digest slowly and help keep blood sugar levels stable. These foods also feed our beneficial gut bacteria and provide important vitamins, minerals and protective plant compounds.\u2019<\/p>\n

Some good choices? Lentils, beans, sweet potatoes, quinoa and berries. \u2018These foods help support energy, appetite regulation, hormone balance and gut health,\u2019 she says.<\/p>\n

On the other hand, highly refined carbohydrates, including sugary drinks, cakes, biscuits and white bread, are more likely to cause sharper rises and falls in blood sugar, she notes.<\/p>\n

Her advice? \u2018When building your plate, choose carbohydrates that nourish rather than simply add volume.\u2019<\/p>\n

\"Salmon<\/p>\n

Claudia Totir<\/p>\n

Step 4: Don\u2019t forget your bone builders<\/p>\n

After midlife, bone health<\/a> becomes increasingly important, particularly for women after menopause, explains Liz.<\/p>\n

Although calcium seems to get the most attention when we think about bones, it doesn\u2019t work on its own. \u2018To keep bones strong, we also need nutrients such as vitamin D, magnesium, vitamin K2, collagen and omega-3 fats,\u2019 she says.<\/p>\n

Liz turns to bone-building foods such as hard cheeses, oily fish, free-range organic eggs, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds and dark leafy greens.<\/p>\n

Step 5: Fuel your inner batteries<\/p>\n

\u2018Nearly every cell in the body contains tiny structures called mitochondria. Think of them as our batteries, creating the energy we need to thrive. The healthier they are, the more efficiently our cells can produce energy,\u2019 says Liz.<\/p>\n

\u2018Many of the foods that support mitochondrial health are also some of the most colourful and nutrient-dense foods there are.\u2019<\/p>\n

Think berries, beetroot, dark leafy greens, and herbs and spices such as turmeric, ginger, rosemary, eggs, oily fish, broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables.<\/p>\n

These foods provide antioxidants and nutrients that help protect our cells from oxidative stress and support healthy energy production, Liz explains.<\/p>\n

Step 6: Add something fermented <\/p>\n

Finally, Liz adds fermented foods<\/a>. These contain microbes and compounds that may help support gut health, digestion and nutrient absorption. \u2018This could be a spoonful of sauerkraut, a bowl of live yoghurt, a little kefir or a scoop of kimchi<\/a>,\u2019 suggests Liz.<\/p>\n

\u2018What\u2019s really fascinating is that the health of our gut influences almost every aspect of our wellbeing, including inflammation, immunity and even how efficiently our cells produce energy,\u2019 she continues.<\/p>\n

Her advice is to start small: \u2018Even one serving a day can make a really meaningful difference over time.\u2019<\/p>\n

The verdict<\/p>\n

Liz finishes off her video by reminding us that we don\u2019t need to get it perfect at every single meal. <\/p>\n

\u2018But, if we can tick most of those boxes most of the time, we\u2019ll be giving ourselves some of the very best support for healthy, strong ageing,\u2019 she says.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Liz Earle has been talking about health and wellness since long before it turned into an extensive 14-step…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":811078,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[49,48,284688,782,284687,784,84,237154,783,395,284686,273948,183396],"class_list":["post-811077","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nutrition","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-collection-celebrity-nutrition","tag-content-type-news","tag-contentid-f29b7c7a-a557-4541-a9b3-37280b47f22d","tag-displaytype-standard-article","tag-health","tag-issyndicated-false","tag-locale-gb","tag-nutrition","tag-shorttitle-liz-earles-6-healthy-eating-rules","tag-sponsored-false","tag-subsection-healthy-eating"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/811077","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=811077"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/811077\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/811078"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=811077"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=811077"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=811077"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}