As you get older, your health needs to be taken very seriously. Living a healthy lifestyle is the best way to ensure good health and longevity. Eating a healthy diet is very important for staying fit and active and reducing the risk of developing diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.
It is also essential that older people over 60 take their daily calorie intake into account because they tend to lose muscle mass with age. It means they need fewer calories than younger adults.
The National Institute for Aging suggests that the average calorie intake for a 60+ year male is between 2000-2600 calories daily and around 1600-2200 calories for 60+ females. These numbers can vary, however, depending on their lifestyle and daily activity patterns.
Here are some tips on how you can make a healthy diet plan for the elderly over 60 years:
Ensure the Intake of a Balanced Diet
When making a diet plan for the elderly, it’s best to ensure they take in all the nutrients their body needs. A balanced diet includes all food groups: fruit, vegetables, and grains, as well as protein sources like meat and fish. It is important because if one or two of these groups are missing from your meal plan, you won’t give your loved one enough energy to stay active and healthy.
Try using nutrient-dense foods to ensure that you include all these food groups in your meal preparation. These include fruits and vegetables containing lots of vitamins and minerals but very few calories. You can also buy frozen fruit when it’s out of season to enjoy fresh fruit even during winter.
When you’re a senior, it’s important to maintain a balanced diet. To ensure your diet is as healthy as possible, check out MyHDiet. MyHDiet helps you calculate how many calories you should eat per day, and then it helps you set up a meal plan that fits those requirements. It’s easy to use and understand and will help you determine which foods are best for your needs.
Include Protein-Rich Foods in Their Diet
Protein is an essential nutrient that helps build and repair body tissues. It also helps keep you full for longer, which can help reduce snacking on unhealthy foods. In addition, protein is important for maintaining muscle mass as we age, which helps prevent osteoporosis and weight loss. Finally, a high-protein diet can benefit seniors by helping them maintain their independence and stay active in their daily lives.
Experts suggest that around 0.45 to 0.55 grams of protein per pound of a senior’s body weight over 65 years is ideal to fulfill their protein needs. Thus, we can say that a senior person weighing 150 pounds can take 68 to 83 grams of protein daily.
Consume a Variety of Iron-Rich Foods
Iron is an essential mineral. The main function of iron is to carry oxygen in the blood to your organs, muscles, and tissues. Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency worldwide, and it can affect anyone, including people over 60 years old.
A diet rich in iron-rich foods has been shown to improve physical activity for those with low exercise tolerance levels due to reduced fatigue during exercise. It may also lower total cholesterol levels, which is important in heart disease prevention.
Iron deficiency is one of the major reasons for anemia in senior citizens in the US. As per reports, almost 10% of US senior citizens over 65 years are suffering from anemia. Hence, taking care of the daily iron needs in seniors’ diet plans is essential.
Make Sure They Get Enough Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is important for forming red blood cells. It can be found in meat, fish, eggs, and milk. A healthy diet plan should include foods containing Vitamin B12 at least three times a week. Vitamin B12 is also available as a supplement, which can be taken once daily or weekly if needed. Fortified foods such as cereals and bread are also an option if you don’t eat meat or dairy products regularly.
Consume Foods Rich in Vitamin D and Magnesium
Vitamin D is an essential nutrient that aids in calcium absorption. The elderly are at an increased risk of vitamin D deficiency because they may be less active and eat a diet low in foods containing vitamin D, such as fish, eggs, and fortified milk products.
Magnesium is important for nerve function, muscle contraction, and blood glucose levels. It also helps regulate blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Magnesium deficiency has been shown to cause:
- muscle aches or weakness;
- headaches;
- fatigue;
- irritability;
- insomnia;
- poor memory or concentration;
- abnormal heart rhythms;
- dizziness or lightheadedness upon standing up quickly.
Limit the Consumption of Soft Drinks and Alcohol
You should limit some foods, as they can harm your health. It includes soft drinks and alcohol. Soft drinks are high in sugar, which is not good for your teeth, so drinking water is best. You should also limit the consumption of alcohol when you are over 60 years old because alcohol can lead to liver problems and weight gain.
Alcohol should be consumed in moderation. A past survey suggests that nearly 4% of elderly people are suffering from alcohol use disorder (AUD). Hence, it is advisable to keep alcohol away from seniors as much as possible.
Even if you don’t have any health concerns, ensuring you’re eating a healthy diet will help keep you feeling young and vibrant.
Watch the Salt and Sugar Intake
The elderly should be careful about salt and sugar intake. The body can’t process excessive amounts of salt and converts sugar into fat. In addition, these two ingredients can damage the liver, kidneys, and pancreas if consumed in large quantities.
A healthy diet plan for seniors over 60 must include 2g to 6g (1 teaspoon) of salt per day to maintain a normal blood pressure level. The recommended daily amount is 1 tsp (5g) for people with high blood pressure or who are 55 years old or older, as well as those with diabetes mellitus or chronic kidney disease (CKD).
The maximum amount of added sugars you should consume is limited, so your total energy intake does not exceed 5%–10%. It includes all the sugary sources: sucrose, glucose, fructose, lactose, galactose, maltose, trehalose, and tagatose.
A Healthy Diet Plan Can Help Enhance Overall Health.
A healthy diet plan can help enhance overall health. It can also help prevent and reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. In addition, a healthy diet helps people maintain a healthy weight, which is important for overall health and well-being.
With the right plan, you can ensure your loved one gets all the nutrients they need to live a healthy life. It may take some time to adjust their diet and find out what they like, but it’s well worth it in the end.