Diet for senior citizen

Diet for senior citizen is very important. When you grow older your need for nutrition increases. Your body is in a degenerative mode. Growth of cells and tissues is slow but repairing of cells and tissues is at a higher rate. Requirement of vitamins, minerals, proteins, carbohydrates and fluids changes in old age. All these nutrients have to be packaged in easy to digest and easy to absorb.

It’s not so easy to make a balance diet plan for older person because they can suffer from many physical complications, so before planning a diet plan for older individual one must consider about the complication of that person.

Some tips on diet for senior citizen are as follows –

Do not skip meals: Skipping meals may cause your metabolism to slow down or lead you to eat more high-calorie, high-fat foods at you next meal.

Select high fiber foods: High fiber foods like whole-grain breads and cereals, vegetables, beans
and fruits. They may help to keep you regular, lower your risk for chronic diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease.

Choose lean meat: Chose lean beef, turkey and chicken without skin. As you age, your body needs fewer calories, especially if you are not very active.

Choose fish: Fishes are almost free from cholesterol. It contains essential harmless protein.

Vitamin – D: Have three servings of vitamin D- such as, fat free milk, yogurt or cheese. Milk products are high in calcium and vitamin D. It keeps your bones strong. If you don’t like milk product try Soya-based foods.

Vitamin B12: Choose foods that contain vitamin B12. Many adults over age of 50 have difficulty absorbing adequate amounts of these vitamins. Therefore, they should get this substance from breakfast cereals.

Vitamin C: Vitamin C helps the body to absorb iron. Good sources of vitamin C are fruits and vegetables. In any case, it is a very good idea to include a salad with your meal.

Vitamin B9: Folic acid also known as vitamin B9. It is vital for cell repair. Sources of folic acid are brown rice, brown bread and fortified breakfast cereals.

Water-based foods: Drink plenty of water-based foods. Name of water based foods are caffeine-free tea and coffee, soup and skim-milk.

Sodium intake: Try to lower the sodium intake of a senior person, especially if he or she in at risk for high blood pressure.

Low-sugar foods: Choose low-sugar foods if the person has diabetes or at risk of becoming diabetic.

Dentures food: Choose food that is easy on dentures, if necessary. Some foods are too chewy or too sticky for denture wears to eat comfortably.

Alcohol consumption: Monitor alcohol consumption. Although the occasional glass of wine with dinner probably can’t hurt, may even benefit the heart to some degree. It’s not a good idea of any age to drink too much, especially if medications are involved.

Avoid row bran: To increase fiber intake, we have seen folks sprinkle raw bran on food. Doing so is likely to prevent you absorbing some important minerals from the food you are attempting to eat. If fiber is your concern then include foods such as oats, peas, beans, lentils, vegetables and fruits

Light exercise: light exercise keep the elderly person active. It helps to digest food and help circulate blood. It also keeps mind fresh as well as body.

Diet for senior citizen

Daily balanced diet for senior citizen is very important and difficult. Daily meal plan depend on how active the elderly person is. A moderate meal plan is given below.

 

Breakfast: High fiber cereal + 250 ml skimmed milk + 1 teaspoon sugar, 250 ml pulpy fruit juice, some tea or coffee.

Mid-morning: 2 digestive biscuits. Some fruit drink.

Lunch: 2 slices of sandwich or, whole-meal toast, mixed salad, low fat and low sugar milk or yoghurt.

Mid-afternoon: Some Soya biscuits and fruit drinks.

Evening-meal: Medium chicken breast without skin or 250 grams white fish or lean beef or lamb, 1 medium jacket potato and a lot of vegetables, some fruits and a lot of water to drink.