As the weather gets cooler, the elderly have fewer outdoor activities and naturally reduced their diet. In addition, with age, the body’s functions gradually deteriorate, and the teeth and mouth are getting worse and worse, which may affect eating and lead to a lack of various nutrients. In particular, the seven nutrients that are most likely to be missing in the elderly will harm their health if not supplemented in time.
Calcium As you get older, the absorption and utilization capacity of calcium will decrease, generally only about 20%. In addition, reduced physical activity can also increase bone calcium loss, especially older women are more likely to develop osteoporotic fractures than men. In addition to ensuring 300 grams of milk per day, it is recommended to eat 25 grams of soybeans and 100-200 grams of green leafy vegetables per day, and 25 grams of soybeans are equivalent to 100 grams of tofu or 50 grams of dried tofu. This is because soybeans and leafy greens are also good sources of calcium.
Vitamin D Vitamin D deficiency in the elderly can lead to osteoporosis and osteomalacia, as well as calcium deficiency in the body, leading to complications. Vitamin D must be activated by the liver and kidneys before it can work, and the activation ability of vitamin D in the elderly is reduced, coupled with the fact that most foods do not contain vitamin D, and a few natural foods only contain trace amounts of vitamin D, so it is difficult to supplement vitamin D with natural foods. It is recommended that the elderly eat some foods fortified with vitamin D or formula foods containing vitamin D, or take vitamin D preparations to supplement 15 micrograms of vitamin D per day.
Iron The ability to absorb iron in the elderly decreases, and the ability to form blood is also reduced. In addition, due to the decline of taste, chewing, swallowing and digestion, it is also easy to have early satiety, resulting in insufficient food intake, which makes the elderly a high incidence of anemia. Lean meat, animal blood, animal liver and shellfish are good ways to supplement iron, and it is recommended that the elderly eat 40-75 grams of livestock and poultry meat per day; Eat animal blood and animal liver 2-3 times a month, about 25 grams each time. It is worth noting that the iron in plant foods is non-heme iron, and the absorption and utilization rate is very low, so don’t expect to eat jujubes, black fungus, black beans, and spinach to supplement iron. In addition, vegetarian seniors are best supplemented with iron through fortified foods, specially formulated foods or preparations.
Zinc Zinc deficiency in the elderly can lead to symptoms such as decreased appetite, night blindness, vision loss, slow wound healing, and low immunity. Due to changes in physical functions, such as deterioration of taste and decreased chewing function, the digestion, absorption, and utilization of zinc will also be reduced, so the problem of zinc deficiency in the elderly cannot be ignored. Seafood, nuts, animal offal, etc. are high in zinc and can help the elderly supplement zinc. In particular, oysters in shellfish have a zinc content of 71.2 mg per 100 grams, and eating 50 grams of oyster meat can meet 298% and 421% of the daily zinc requirements of men and women, respectively.
Protein Elderly people have poor teeth and appetite, protein intake will be affected, and in the process of aging, protein catabolism in the body exceeds anabolism, so it is easy to lack protein, aggravate muscle attenuation, cause sluggishness and even increase the risk of fractures. Meat, eggs, milk and beans are good sources of high-quality protein, but for the elderly with chronic diseases such as dyslipidemia and hypertension, pork, beef and mutton should be eaten less. It is recommended to add some marine fish rich in n-3 series fatty acids, such as salmon, cod, mackerel, sea bass, and croaker, which is not only good for cardiovascular health, but also good for preventing muscle loss.
Dietary fiber The chewing function of the elderly is reduced, the types of food they consume are also limited, and there is generally insufficient dietary fiber intake. In addition, the elderly have slow gastrointestinal peristalsis, so they should pay more attention to dietary fiber supplementation. The elderly should eat more fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains to supplement dietary fiber on a daily basis, such as edamame, celery leaves, amaranth, kiwi, oat rice, oat bran, quinoa, buckwheat, red beans, mung beans, etc.
Carotene Elderly people must pay attention to the supplementation of dark vegetables, such as rapeseed, bok choy, spinach, carrots, pumpkin, etc., which are rich in carotene, which can be converted into vitamin A in the body, which is beneficial to eye and skin health. Several studies have found that people with high dietary intake of carotene or high levels of carotene in their blood have slower cognitive decline, fewer white matter lesions in the brain, and less brain atrophy. In other words, eating more carotene-rich foods can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s. However, elderly people who smoke should not take carotene supplements in large doses, as studies have shown that high doses of β-carotene may increase the risk of lung cancer in smokers.
In addition to paying special attention to the above 7 nutrients, balanced nutrition is also important to maintain a healthy weight, because fat is easy to get chronic diseases such as high blood pressure and dyslipidemia, and thin and prone to malnutrition, that is, being too thin or overweight will increase the risk of death.