Healthy Meal Planning: Tips for Older Adults

A direct link exists between health and diet across all ages. But, your nutritional needs change with age, which means you may not need some food groups as much as you needed when you were younger. However, you may need more of certain other nutrients, like calcium, to maintain healthy bones at an older age.

With age, your appetite may fall, or you may find food not tasting the same due to your medications. Hence, you must ensure optimal nutrition at every meal you take.

Further, awareness of specific nutritional requirements of your body, keeping in mind any existing medical conditions and ongoing medications will help you adjust your food choices required to stay in good health. Here are some pro tips for older adults like you to ease the task of healthy meal planning.

Keep It Colourful

Include leafy vegetables like spinach and kale, and colourful vegetables like carrots, squash, and broccoli, in your diet for maximum intake of vitamins and minerals. Consume 2-3 servings of fruits daily, including melons and berries, besides the regular apples and bananas. Ideally, fruits should make up ⅕ part of your diet, while vegetables and legumes should be ⅖.

Include Whole Grains And Cereals

Include dietary fibres of both soluble and insoluble varieties in your diet to avoid constipation, and keep your blood sugar and cholesterol levels in check. Men and women above 50 years should have 30g and 21g of fibre every day. Whole grains and cereals should make up ⅖ part of your diet.

Drop The Empty Calories

Healthy eating is all about fresh and whole food. So, it is best to ditch items laden with refined sugar, salt, or trans-fat that are known to amplify the risks of several health complications. Satisfy your dessert cravings with fresh fruits in yoghurt or custard. For baking, use whole wheat instead of refined flour. Keep the discretionary food items like chips, fries, doughnuts, etc., limited to once-in-a-blue-moon kinds of treat.

Balance Plants And Animal Protein

Consume both plant-based and animal-based proteins to help your brain function optimally and boost your mood, besides sustaining your muscle reserves. However, avoid red meat and processed meat as much as you can. Instead, include more tofu, beans and legumes, nuts and seeds, fish, eggs, seafood, and lean meats in your diet.

Boost Your Intake Of Vitamins And Minerals

Calcium, iron, and vitamins B2, B6, and D are … Read the rest

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