Aging & Nutrition
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"I have trouble
chewing."
"Food just doesn’t taste the same anymore."
"I don’t have
a car to go shopping."
"It’s hard to cook for one person."
"I’m just
not that hungry anymore."
Is one of these a reason
you are not eating well now? Food provides energy and nutrients
that your body needs to stay healthy. Nutrients include proteins,
carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals, and water. As you grow older, you
may need less energy from what you eat. But, you still need just as many
of the nutrients in food. Nutrition experts can recommend what the average
older person needs to eat, but you should also check with your doctor or a
registered dietitian, a specialist trained in nutrition. This is
especially true if you have a health problem that limits what you should
eat. They can help you plan meals that will include the healthy foods you
need without the foods you should avoid.
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Choose many different
healthy foods. Pick those that are lower in fat, especially saturated fat
(mostly in foods that come from animals), and cholesterol. Eat or drink
only small amounts of sugary or salty foods, and alcoholic drinks, if you
drink them at all. Avoid "empty calories" as much as you can. These are
foods like sodas, potato chips, and cookies that have a lot of calories,
but not many nutrients.
Calories
are a way to measure the
energy you get from food. If you eat more calories than your body
needs, you could gain weight. If you are not active, choose lower calorie
foods and eat the smallest number of servings suggested for each of the
five food groups (See below). If you are active, you should eat more
servings for more calories. The calorie counts for most packaged foods are
listed in the Nutrition Facts part of the label or package.
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The U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA) has developed the Food Guide Pyramid to help you make
healthy food choices. There are five major food groups. Every day you
should try to eat the suggested number of servings from each group. If you
can’t do that, at least try to eat something from each group each day.
Lower fat choices are best.
Make sure you eat vegetables, fruits, and
whole-grain foods. The food groups are:
Grains—6-11 servings; one serving
is:
- One roll, slice of bread, or
small muffin,
- 1/2 bagel or English
muffin,
- 1/2 cup of cooked rice or
pasta,
- 1/2 cup of cooked cereal,
or
- about 1 cup (1 oz.) of
ready-to-eat cereal.
Vegetables—3-5 servings; one serving
is:
- 1/2 cup of chopped raw or cooked
vegetables, or
- 1 cup of leafy raw
vegetables.
Fruits—2-4 servings; one serving
is:
- 1 medium piece of fruit or melon
wedge,
- 3/4 cup of juice,
- 1/2 cup of canned fruit,
or
- 1/4 cup of dried fruit.
Milk, yogurt, and cheese—2-3 servings (3 for people
over 50); one serving is:
- 1 cup of milk or yogurt,
or
- 1-1/2 to 2 ounces of
cheese.
One cup of soup made
with milk, 1/2 cup of pudding from "scratch" or a mix, or 1 cup of cottage
cheese counts as half a serving.
Meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs, and nuts—2-3
servings (to equal 5 to 7 ounces of lean meat, poultry, or fish);
one serving is:
- 2 to 3 ounces of cooked lean
meat, poultry, or fish,
- 1/2 cup of tuna fish, or
- 1/2 cup of cooked beans or tofu,
1 egg, 1/3 cup of nuts, or 2 tablespoons of peanut butter—each of which
can count as one ounce of meat.
Some other tips:
- Each day eat only small amounts
of fats, oils, and sweets.
- Remember, when counting
servings, that there may be more than one "Food Pyramid serving" of a
food on your plate. For example, a sandwich made with two slices of
bread is two servings of grain products.
- Sometimes manufacturers put more
than one serving in a package or bottle.
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Does your favorite
chicken dish taste different? Does Aunt Molly’s pea soup suddenly seem to
need salt? The flavor of the food is probably the same as always. With age
your sense of taste and sense of smell may change. This affects how foods
taste. They may
seem to have lost flavor. You may not be able to smell
if foods have gone bad. You might want to date foods in your refrigerator
to keep yourself from eating foods that are no longer fresh. If in doubt,
throw it out.
There are other reasons
food may not taste the same. Some medicines can change your sense of taste
or make you feel less hungry. Maybe you have slowed down a bit, so your
body needs fewer calories. Maybe chewing is difficult because your
dentures need to be adjusted or your teeth or gums need to be checked. You
might want to pick softer foods to eat.
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Not just water. You need
to drink plenty of liquids like water, juice, milk, and soup. Aim for
eight 8-ounce glasses a day. You have to replace the fluids you lose every
day. But, check with your doctor if he or she has told you to limit how
much you drink.
Don’t wait until you
feel thirsty to start drinking. With age you may lose some of your sense
of thirst. In addition, medicine can sometimes cause you to lose fluids.
If you are drinking enough, your urine will be pale yellow. If it is a
bright or dark yellow, you need to drink more liquids. If the color still
does not change, talk to your health care provider.
Do you have a urinary
control problem? If your answer is yes, don’t stop drinking a lot of
liquid. But, talk to your doctor for help with your urinary control
problem.
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Dietary fiber is found
in foods that come from plants— fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds,
brown rice, and whole grains, such as oat, barley, wheat, corn, and rice
bran. It is the part of plant foods that your body cannot digest. Eating
more fiber may prevent intestinal problems like constipation,
diverticulosis, and diverticulitis. It may also lower cholesterol and
blood sugar and help you have regular bowel movements.
Some nutrition experts
think adults should eat 20 to 35 grams of fiber each day. If you are not
used to eating a lot of fiber, add extra sources of fiber to your diet
slowly to avoid stomach problems. The best source of this fiber is food,
rather than dietary supplements. When adding fiber, remember:
- Eat cooked dry beans, peas, and
lentils often.
- Leave skins on your fruit and
vegetables when possible.
- Choose whole fruit over fruit
juice.
- Eat whole-grain breads and
cereals.
- Drink lots of fluids to keep the
fiber moving through your intestines.
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Salt (sodium chloride)
is the most common way people get sodium. Sodium is naturally present in
most foods, and salt is added to many canned and prepared foods. The body
uses sodium to keep the blood, muscles, and nerves healthy, but too much
is not good. Most people eat a lot more sodium than they need.
Each day you should eat
no more than 2400 mg of sodium. This is about one teaspoon of table
salt. It includes all the sodium you get in your food and drink, not just
what you add when cooking or eating. If your doctor tells you to use less
salt, try to cut back on salty foods like processed meats and mustard. Use
spices, herbs, and lemon juice to add flavor to your food.
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Fat in your diet
provides energy and certain vitamins. Too much fat, especially saturated
fat, can be bad for your heart and blood vessels and can lead to heart
disease. Saturated fats often come from animal sources. They tend to be
solid at room temperature, rather than liquid. Also, fat is high in
calories. It should make up no more than 30 percent of your total
calories—53 grams of fat if you are trying to eat 1600 calories a day.
Some examples of fat content are:
- a 3-ounce broiled, extra-lean
hamburger patty has about 14 grams,
- a hard-boiled egg has 5 grams,
and
- a teaspoon of butter or
margarine has 4 grams.
To lower the fat in your
diet:
- Choose lean cuts of meat, fish,
or poultry (with the skin removed).
- Trim off any extra fat before
cooking.
- Use low-fat dairy products and
salad dressings.
- Use non-stick pots and pans, and
cook without added fat.
- If you do use fat, use either an
unsaturated vegetable oil or a nonfat cooking spray.
- Broil, roast, bake, stir-fry,
steam, microwave, or boil foods. Avoid frying them.
- Season your foods with lemon
juice, herbs, or spices, instead of butter.
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Plan your meals in
advance. Check your supply of staples like flour, sugar, rice, and cereal.
Make a list of what you need. Keep some canned or frozen fish, meat,
fruits, vegetables, dinners, and soups on hand. These are handy when you
do not feel like cooking or cannot
go out. Powdered nonfat dry milk,
canned evaporated milk, and ultra-pasteurized milk in a carton can be
stored easily.
Think about how much of
a product you will use. A large size may be cheaper per unit, but it is
not a bargain if you end up throwing much of it away. Share large packages
with a friend. Frozen vegetables sold in bags save money because you can
use small amounts while keeping the rest frozen. If a package of
meat or fresh produce is too large, ask a store employee to repackage it
in a smaller size.
Learn to read food
package labels. There you will find a list of ingredients. The first one
listed is present in the food in the largest amount. The ones that follow
are present in smaller and smaller amounts. Look at "Nutrition Facts" for
the calories, protein, carbohydrate, fat, sodium, fiber, vitamin, and
mineral amounts per serving. It also suggests a serving size
for
comparing foods. There may be an expiration or "use by" date on the
label or container. At first, reading labels will add some time to your
shopping trip. Soon you will learn which products are best for
you.
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Here are some ways to
keep your food costs down:
- Plain (generic) labels, if
available, or store brands are usually cheaper than name
brands.
- Plan your menu around items on
sale.
- Prepare more of the foods you
enjoy, and quickly refrigerate the leftovers to eat in a day or
two.
- Or, divide leftovers into
individual servings. Write the contents and date on each package, and
freeze to use within a few months.
- Share meal preparation and costs
with a friend.
- Plan a "pot-luck" dinner where
everyone brings a prepared dish.
The federal government
provides food stamps to help people with low incomes buy groceries. If you
think you are eligible, check with a local food stamps office or area
agency
on aging. Also check with your local area agency on aging or
tribal organization for the nearest senior center or nutrition site. You
may be able to enjoy free or low-cost meals for older people at a
community center, church, or school. These meals offer good food and a
chance to be with other people. Home delivered meals are available for
people who are homebound.
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The Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, is a United States government
agency that makes sure foods are safe, wholesome and honestly labeled.
Many older people have trouble eating well. This booklet tells why. Then it
gives ideas on what you can do about it. Using the food label is one way to eat
well. There are others.
Do you have trouble chewing? If so, you may have trouble eating foods like
meat and fresh fruits and vegetables.
What to do: Try other foods.
| Instead of: |
Try: |
| fresh fruit |
fruit juices and soft canned fruits, like applesauce,
peaches and pears |
| raw vegetables |
vegetable juices and creamed and mashed cooked
vegetables |
| meat |
ground meat, eggs, milk, cheese, yogurt, and foods made
with milk, like pudding and cream soups |
| sliced bread |
cooked cereals, rice, bread pudding, and soft
cookies |
Stomach problems, like too much gas, may make you stay away from foods you
think cause the problem. This means you could be missing out on important
nutrients, like vitamins, calcium, fiber and protein.
What to do: Try other foods.
| Instead of: |
Try: |
| milk |
milk foods that may not bother you, like cream soups,
pudding, yogurt and cheese |
| vegetables like cabbage and broccoli |
vegetable juices and other vegetables, like
green beans, carrots and potatoes |
| fresh fruit |
fruit juices and soft canned
fruits |
You may have problems shopping for food. Maybe you can't drive anymore. You
may have trouble walking or standing for a long time.
What to do:
- Ask the local food store to bring groceries to your home. Some stores
deliver free. Sometimes there is a charge.
- Ask your church or synagogue for volunteer help. Or sign up for help with
a local volunteer center.
- Ask a family member or neighbor to shop for you. Or pay someone to do it.
Some companies let you hire home health workers for a few hours a week. These
workers may shop for you, among other things. Look for these companies in the
Yellow Pages of the phone book under "Home Health Services."
You may have problems with cooking. It may be hard for you to hold cooking
utensils, and pots and pans. Or you may have trouble standing for a long time.
What to do:
- Use a microwave oven to cook TV dinners, other frozen foods, and foods
made up ahead of time by the store.
- Take part in group meal programs offered through senior citizen programs.
Or, have meals brought to your home.
- Move to a place where someone else will cook, like a family member's home
or a home for senior citizens.
Problem: No appetite
Older people who live alone sometimes feel lonely at mealtimes. Loneliness
can make you lose your appetite. Or you may not feel like making meals for just
yourself.
Maybe your food has no flavor or tastes bad. This could be caused by
medicines you are taking.
What to do:
- Eat with family and friends.
- Take part in group meal programs, offered through senior citizen programs.
- Ask your doctor if your medicines could be causing appetite or taste
problems. If so, ask about changing medicines.
- Increase the flavor of food by adding spices and herbs.
Not having enough money to buy enough food can keep you from eating well.
What to do:
- Buy low-cost foods, like dried beans and peas, rice and pasta. Or buy
foods that contain these items, like split pea soup and canned beans and rice.
- Use coupons for money off on foods you like.
- Buy foods on sale. Also buy store-brand foods. They often cost less.
- Find out if your local church or synagogue offers free or low-cost meals.
- Take part in group meal programs offered through local senior citizen
programs. Or, have meals brought to your home.
- Get food stamps. Call the food stamp office listed under your county
government in the blue pages of the telephone book.
Read the Label
Look for words that say something healthy about the food.
Examples are:
- Low Fat
- Cholesterol Free
- Good Source of Fiber
Look for words that tell about the food's relation to a disease.
A low-fat food may say:
While many factors affect heart disease, diets low in saturated fat and
cholesterol may reduce the risk of this disease.
The words may be on the front or side of the food package.
FDA makes sure these words are true.
Use label claims like these to choose foods that help make a good diet.
Most food labels tell what kinds and amounts of vitamins, minerals, protein,
fat, and other nutrients are in a food.
This information is called "Nutrition Facts." You can find it on the side or
back of most food labels.
- Look at the serving size.
- Find the % Daily Value. The numbers underneath tell how much of each
nutrient listed is in one serving.
- About 100% of each nutrient each day is usually healthful. If you're on a
special diet, like a low-sodium or low-fat diet, use the % numbers to pick
low-sodium and low-fat foods.
The 3g (grams) of total fat in one serving of this food provides 5% of fat
for the day, leaving 95% more fat allowed that day in a normal diet. The 300mg
(milligrams) of sodium provide 13% for the day, leaving 87% more sodium allowed
that day in a normal diet. The "mg" number is much larger than the "g" number
because it takes many, many milligrams to equal 1 gram.
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USDA Food
and Nutrition Information Center (FNIC)
Administration
on Aging
NIA Information
Center
http://www.fda.gov/default.htm
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