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Ensuring Healthy Meals For Seniors

November 24, 2022 0 Comment Category: Betenu Health

Though the USA is a wealthy country, malnutrition is a problem for some elderly adults who may suffer from conditions that can affect their ability to eat some food items or may be on medications that can result in a lack of appetite or nausea. Ensuring a nutrient-rich diet is important to boost the health and well-being of a senior person.

It is seen that seniors who eat healthy and nutrient-rich diets are can lower high blood pressure and cholesterol levels and reduce the risks of stroke, heart problems, anemia, type 2 diabetes and bone loss. But, ensuring that your senior loved one eats well can be tricky, as they require lesser calories than younger adults. Experts in our assisted living facility share some ways to ensure that your aging loved one is getting the required nutrition.

Combat Chewing Issues  

Sometimes the use of ill-fitting dentures or the loss of teeth can make your senior loved one avoid food items that are hard to chew. Apart from encouraging your senior loved one to see a dentist, you can help improve their level of nutrition by offering them soups that are rich in protein and soft food items like steamed vegetables, rice and hot cereals. Also, it can be a good idea to add sauce or gravy to food items, as it can help soften food items.

Vary Protein Sources

Experts in senior health say that many are not having enough protein from food items. Ensure that your senior loved one not only eats enough protein but that the protein sources are varied. While choosing protein sources, make sure to avoid processed meat items like hot dogs, meat products, or salami. Instead, you may focus on fish, grass-fed red meat or free-range poultry. If consuming meat is an issue, you may serve yogurt, milk, soy milk, eggs, cooked beans and protein smoothies.

Offer Fiber Rich Diet

Apart from protein, elderly adults should consume plenty of fiber as it can help avoid issues like constipation, which is a major senior health concern and reduce the chances of stroke, diabetes and heart disease. Very good sources of fiber are lentils. Wheat bran, beans, nuts, greens and berries. There are also ways to increase the fiber content of your senior loved one’s favorite food items. For instance, switching from white flour products to whole grain can help increase fiber intake.