Seniors and Nutrition: 10 Tips for Better Eating

Posted by Donna Mae Scheib on December 25, 2017

Seniors and Nutrition: 10 Tips for Better Eating

“You are what you eat.” It’s an old saying, but a good one to pay attention to—especially as we age! Our bodies work like a machine, constantly using the nutrients we consume to keep everything humming along. It’s sometimes hard to make good nutrition choices, but setting small, daily goals to eat better can help to make you feel better both mentally and physically.

What Becomes Different as We Age?

When we age, our bodies slow down. Our metabolisms are driven by the biochemical reactions that take place in each of our cells, breaking down and processing the food we eat. Getting older means these functions perform at a slower rate; consequently, a slower metabolism means fewer calories are needed throughout the day. In addition, aging bodies have a harder time absorbing nutrients, which is further complicated by concurrent chronic health issues we may be experiencing. Frustratingly, it can be difficult to consume fewer calories while your body is not absorbing all of the necessary nutrients you are eating!

Our sense of smell and taste can also lessen as we age due to a slow down in the regeneration of taste buds and other sensory cells; some medications may also impact taste. As a result, foods we used to love may taste bland, taking the pleasure out of eating.

With all these factors—and more—combined, managing a well-balanced diet becomes increasingly important as a senior. Below are some tips on how to manage these issues and continue to eat well in your senior years.

10 Tips for Better Eating

1. Be mindful of important nutrients to feature in your diet. These include the following:

• Vitamin B12: Assists in creating red blood cells and maintaining healthy nerve function. You can find vitamin B12 in food like eggs, milk, milk products, fish, and poultry.
• Synthetic Vitamin B9: AKA folate/folic acid; it helps with DNA and RNA production and healthy brain functioning. It’s also good for your mental health. Many breakfast cereals are fortified with this vitamin and it’s natural component—folate—is often found in dark, leafy green vegetables like kale.
• Calcium: Aids in building and maintaining healthy bones. Lack of calcium greatly increases the risk for diseases like osteoporosis. Kale, broccoli, and dairy products are good sources of calcium.
• Vitamin D: Helps the body to absorb calcium and maintain bone density. Several dairy products and cereals are fortified with vitamin D because it’s not a common nutrient found in food (it typically comes from sun exposure). A few foods that naturally contain Vitamin D are tuna, salmon, and eggs.
• Potassium: May help to reduce high blood pressure and is essential for proper cell functioning. Bananas, plums, potatoes, and many other fruits and veggies on your plate can help you get the recommended amount of daily potassium.
• Other essential nutrients to help your health include magnesium, fiber, omega-3 fats, and water!

2. Check the nutrition label on packaged foods and beverages. The Percent Daily Value (%DV) shows you if a food is high or low in a certain nutrient; if the %DV is 5% or below, it is low in this nutrient and if the %DV is 20% or higher, it is high in this nutrient.

3. Stick to the perimeter of the grocery store and avoid, if possible, pre-packaged food and drink items. These tend to lack great nutritional value.

4. Don’t be afraid to ask a loved one to help you with grocery shopping. Being tired and not having the energy to shop makes it more likely that you will choose lower-effort meals that can be high in sodium and sugar.

5. Plan your meals! Healthy eating on a budget is possible with a little meal planning. Nowadays, many websites offer free recipes and ideas for planning healthy meals that are simple and that don’t require expensive ingredients.

6. Check out, benefitscheckup.org—a website provided by the National Council on Aging that assists seniors in finding programs that can help them save money. For example, many seniors may qualify for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) through the USDA Food and Nutrition Service; this program offers assistance with acquiring healthy nutritious foods like fruits and vegetables.

7. Instead of adding table salt to your meals, use different spices and herbs to enhance flavor and make your food more pleasurable to eat.

8. Keep a good amount of protein in your diet to help maintain muscle mass. Good sources of protein include Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, eggs, steak, ground beef, chicken breast, halibut, turkey breast, sweet potatoes, beans, lentils, and salmon.

9. If lack of appetite is a problem, schedule smaller meals throughout the day and eat nutritious snacks between meals.

10. It’s crucial to stay hydrated every day so make sure you’re drinking enough water! As we age, regulating water balance is more difficult and the body may not absorb water properly; this means we need to drink even more water to replace what was lost. Keep a water bottle with you at all times and take frequent sips throughout the day.