The study found that older women who had a high intake of fiber and high-quality carbohydrates—defined as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes—in midlife experienced healthier aging. Women who ate those carbs  had a 6% to 37% greater likelihood of healthy aging. Meanwhile, those who ate more refined carbs—found in added sugars, refined grains, and potatoes—and starchy vegetables had 13% lower odds of healthy aging.

The authors defined healthy aging as the absence of 11 major chronic diseases (including cancer, Type 2 diabetes, heart failure, stroke, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD]), lack of cognitive and physical function impairments, and having good mental health, as self-reported in questionnaires.

“Our findings suggest that carbohydrate quality may be an important factor in healthy aging,” said Andres Ardisson Korat, a scientist at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (HNRCA) and lead author of the study in the press release.

Researchers from the HNRCA at Tufts University and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health analyzed data from the Nurses’ Health Study questionnaires, which were collected every four years between 1984 and 2016 to examine the midlife diets and health outcomes of over 47,000 women who were between ages 70 and 93 in 2016.

“We’ve all heard that different carbohydrates can affect health differently, whether for weight, energy, or blood sugar levels. But rather than just look at the immediate effects of these macronutrients, we wanted to understand what they might mean for good health 30 years later,” Ardisson Korat said.

“Our results are consistent with other evidence linking consumption of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and legumes with lower risks of chronic diseases, and now we see the association with physical and cognitive function outcomes,” said senior author Qi Sun, associate professor in the nutrition and epidemiology departments at Harvard Chan School, in the press release.

“Studies are starting to find an association between food choices in midlife and quality of life in later years,” Ardisson Korat added. “The more we can understand about healthy aging, the more science can help people live healthier for longer.”

Healthy, fiber-packed carbs to add to your diet

The study centered on diet and not fiber supplements—and dietitians generally recommend getting your fiber from whole foods.

Legumes, nuts and seeds, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are the most high-fiber food groups. Here are some specific dietitian-recommended options for adding more fiber to your diet: 

• Beans
• Lentils
• Fresh fruits like strawberries, oranges, blueberries, apples, and pears with skin
• Fresh vegetables like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, green peas, and potatoes with skin
• Popcorn
• Avocados
• Oatmeal
• Barley
• Split peas
• Chia seeds

For more on fiber and carbs:

• Eating just 7 grams more fiber every day can cut your stroke risk and boost your overall health. Here are simple ways to get more into your diet
• The secret trick to turning carbohydrates like white rice and bread into superfoods
• You might be overdoing it on protein and not getting enough of another vital nutrient, dietitians say