A healthy diet typically includes nutrient-dense foods from all major food groups, including healthy fats, lean proteins, fruit and vegetables and whole grains. As well as this, healthy eating habits include swapping foods containing added salt, trans fats, and sugar with more nutritious alternatives.
While most of us already know what a healthy diet includes, many are unsure why it is so important to eat healthily. There are, in fact, many benefits of eating a healthy diet. Not only can it reduce your chances of cancer and improve your heart health, but it can also impact your mood.
Unfortunately, evidence has shown that many elderly adults struggle to eat a healthy diet. The good news is that there are many simple things older adults can do to ensure they eat a healthy diet. Here are some of our healthy eating tips for older adults:
1. Know What a Healthy Plate Consists Of
Before planning your weekly meals, you must understand what a healthy plate looks like. The food pyramid can help you to do this. It shows you how much of each type of food you should have on your plate.
2. Use Recommended Servings
In order to maintain a healthy weight, you need to ensure that you eat the right amount of food for your body and age. The American Heart Association has a lot of advice on this subject for people over sixty.
3. Consume More Liquids
As we get older, our sense of thirst begins to reduce. However, drinking plenty can help you to remain healthy. As an older adult, you mustensure you drink plenty of water during the day, even if you don’t feel thirsty. This will help you to stay hydrated. Other options available to you that will help you stay hydrated include fruit juice and fat-free milk.
4. Don’t Struggle
Many older adults find themselves struggling to swallow certain foods. Thanks to this, they choose to eat these items of food no longer. The good news is that there are lots of amazing products available that can help people who are struggling with this condition. For example, SimplyThick makes a range of food-thickening products for people with swallowing disorders. Their products allow seniors to enjoy their favorite foods without compromise.
5. Consider a Delivery Service
As we get older, making healthy meals often becomes more difficult. There are many reasons for this. For example, we may no longer be able to stand for long periods, or we may no longer feel comfortable using an oven. The good news is that there are some fantastic meal delivery services for you to choose from. These services produce healthy meals for seniors before delivering them directly to your home. Once delivered, you simply need to warm these meals up. These services are excellent as they can help you enjoy a range of healthy foods without spending time making them.
Research has shown that a healthy diet is essential for good health. Eating a healthy diet becomes even more critical as we age, as the chances of developing severe medical conditions increase. If you are an older adult, then make sure you follow our top tips above.
