Eating healthy, less of a priority for many in their youthful years, becomes all the more necessary as the risk for heart disease, high blood pressure, Alzheimer’s and other age-related conditions increases as you get older.

Ideally, eating habits that support healthy aging should start “in your teens, if not earlier,” says Adriane Kozlovsky, MS, RD, LDN, a clinical dietitian at Levindale Hebrew Geriatric Center & Hospital.

“It’s not the situation where you eat horribly until you’re 40 and then you start focusing on a healthier diet. In truth, all of those risk factors linked to age-related diseases, heart disease for example, actually start much earlier,” Kozlovsky says. “And then as you get older, your needs change. And so as your needs change, you need to meet those needs.”

You should consult with your doctor or nutritionist about any changes you’re thinking about making to your diet. Whenever you decide to eat healthier (hopefully sooner rather than later), keep in mind there are certain foods packed with nutrients that are vital as you age. Here are nine key ones: