A balanced diet and physical activity contribute to a higher quality of life and enhanced independence as you age.
Healthy eating benefits:
1) Maintains mental alertness, 2)Improves resistance to illness and disease, 3) higher energy levels,
4) faster recuperation times, and 5) better management of chronic health problems.
Caloric requirement
Female | Kcal/ Day | Male | Kcal/day |
Physically inactive | 1600 | Physically inactive | 2000 |
Active | 1800 | Active | 2200-2400 |
Very active | 2000 | Very active | 2400-2800 |
Choosing healthy foods
Food your body needs as you age
Fibres: Fruits and vegetables – Focus on whole fruits rather than juices for more fiber and vitamins and aim for 1½ to 2 servings or more each day. Selection of fruit like berries or melons. Choose antioxidant-rich dark, leafy greens, such as spinach/broccoli as well as orange vegetables, such as carrots.
Calcium – Maintaining bone health as you age depends on adequate calcium intake to prevent progression of osteoporosis and reduce relative risk of bone fractures. Older adults need 1,200 mg of calcium a day through servings of milk, yogurt, or cheese. Non-dairy sources include tofu, broccoli, almonds etc.
Grains – choose whole grains over processed white flour for more nutrients and more fiber. Requirement: 6-7 ounces of grains each day (pasta/cereals)
Protein – 68 to 102g of protein per day
Divide your protein intake among meals but aim for 25 to 40g of high-quality protein per meal; less than 15g won’t benefit bone or muscle.
Vegetarians: Beans, Peas, Nuts, seeds and low-fat milk and cheese in your diet
Non vegetarians can add red meat, fish, eggs, skinless chicken and turkey
Vitamin and minerals
Water – With age, some of us are prone to dehydration because the body loses some of the ability to regulate fluid levels and sense of thirst may not be as sharp. Regular hydration is important to avoid urinary tract infections, constipation and confusion.
Vitamin B – As age advances, stomach produces less gastric acid making it difficult to absorb vitamin B-12 - needed to help keep blood and nerves vital. Get the recommended daily intake (2.4 mcg) of B12 from fortified foods or a vitamin supplement.
Vitamin D – vitamin D is essential to absorbing calcium and boosting muscles - through sun exposure and certain foods (fatty fish, egg yolk, and fortified milk). With age, the skin is less efficient at synthesizing vitamin D, so supplementing your diet with fortified foods or a multivitamin may be a good option.
Change food habit in relation to disease
1) Reduce Salt intake: High Blood pressure
2) Sugar control: diabetes
3) Fat: reduce LDL and increase HDL intake (olive oil, avocados, salmon, walnuts)
4) Steam the food rather than boiling
Well balanced diet: Breakfast – Select high-fiber breads and cereals, colourful fruit and protein to fill you with energy for the day. Try yogurt with muesli and berries, a veggie-packed omelet, peanut-butter on whole grain toast with a citrus salad or old-fashioned oatmeal made with dried cherries, walnuts and honey.
Lunch – Keep your body fuelled for the afternoon with a variety of whole-grain breads, lean protein, and fiber. Try a veggie quesadilla on a whole-wheat tortilla, veggie stew with whole-wheat noodles, or a quinoa salad with roasted peppers and mozzarella cheese.
Dinner – End the day on a wholesome note. Try warm salads of roasted veggies and a side of crusty brown bread and cheese, grilled salmon with spicy salsa or whole-wheat pasta with asparagus and shrimp. Opt for sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes and grilled meat instead of fried.
Snacks – It’s okay, even recommended, to snack. But make sure you make it count by choosing high-fiber snacks to healthfully tide you over to your next meal. Choose almonds and raisins instead of chips, and fruit instead of sweets. Other smart snacks include yogurt, cottage cheese, apples and peanut butter and veggies and hummus.
Avoid skipping meals – This causes your metabolism to slow down, which leads to feeling sluggish and making poorer choices later in the day.
In summary, healthy diet doesn’t mean sacrificing taste or fasting but optimising intake according to the needs.
