The Surprising Role of Carbs in a Longer, Healthier Life
What you eat in your 40s and 50s could influence how healthy you stay in later years. New research suggests that focusing on high-quality carbohydrates and fiber during midlife is linked to better health outcomes for women as they age.
The study, led by scientists from Tufts University and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, followed over 47,000 women for decades using data from the Nurses’ Health Study. Participants, who were aged 70 to 93 in 2016, regularly reported their dietary habits, allowing researchers to analyze long-term effects of different types of carbs.
According to Andres Ardisson Korat, the study’s lead author, “While we often think about how carbs affect us in the short term — like energy levels or blood sugar — this study looked at their impact over 30 years. Our results suggest that the quality of carbohydrates plays a key role in healthy aging.”
The findings, published in JAMA Network Open , highlight that diets rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes were tied to better overall health later in life, compared to those high in refined carbs. Researchers also considered factors like glycemic index and load to understand how different carb choices affect long-term well-being.
In short: not all carbs are the same — choosing the right ones in midlife may help you age better.
What Is Healthy Aging — and How Can Diet Influence It?
In the study, healthy aging was defined as being free from 11 major chronic diseases, having no significant physical or cognitive impairments, and reporting good mental health. Based on self-reported data from the Nurses’ Health Study, 3,706 women met these criteria.
The findings revealed that higher intakes of high-quality carbohydrates — such as those from whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes — as well as dietary fiber during midlife, were linked to a 6–37% greater chance of healthy aging. These same dietary choices were also tied to better mental and physical health in later years.
On the flip side, diets high in refined carbs — like added sugars, white bread, and starchy vegetables such as potatoes — were associated with a 13% lower likelihood of aging well.
Dr. Qi Sun, senior author of the study, noted that these results align with previous research showing the benefits of plant-based, nutrient-rich foods in preventing chronic disease — and now, their role in supporting physical and mental function in older age.
Study Limitations and Future Research
The researchers acknowledged that the study group was mostly made up of white female health professionals, so more diverse populations need to be studied to confirm these findings.
Andres Ardisson Korat, the study’s lead author, added that further research is needed to uncover the biological mechanisms behind how fiber and quality carbs may support healthy aging.
“In short,” he said, “what we eat in midlife could shape our quality of life decades later. The more we learn about healthy aging, the better we can guide people toward living healthier, longer lives.”