What a Healthy Diet for Seniors Should Look Like

One of the things you have probably noticed is that as you age, you simply can’t eat like you once did. Even those little snacks that you used to get away with now seem to be causing you to put on the pounds, and that’s something you never really had to worry about in the past.

That is only natural because you are less active than you once were, and your metabolism slows down as well. Sadly, even healthy snacks can put the pounds on if you are not careful, so maybe it’s time to discover what a healthy diet for seniors should look like.

It’s All About Meal Size and Nutrients

One of the things that so many seniors learn when living in a senior residence is that their nutritional needs change as the years go by. What once seemed like a ‘normal’ size meal back when they were raising families and working full time, now seems like a supersized meal. Consider for just a moment what a retirement community would serve for dinner portions at their onsite restaurants.

If you are cooking in your sizeable apartment, then you might still be overloading your plate and not all those foods will be the kind you ‘should’ be eating. You might want to slow down on the butter and salt, for example. A restaurant in a Bellmont Village retirement community La Jolla California, for instance, would be a good place to watch as dishes are served. Look carefully at the size of portions being served and let that be your guide. You don’t necessarily need a kitchen scale to weigh out your portions, but smaller portions are indeed called for.

A Few Tips on Good vs. Bad Calories

As mentioned above, you really need to reduce your calories from butter. The high fat content is not good for your arteries and if your cholesterol spikes then you would probably be put on a statin drug to lower levels of the bad stuff. Although salt isn’t caloric, it can have the side effect of causing you to retain water in your body and that is unhealthy as well.

Don’t forget those whole grain foods as well as fruits and vegetables that should be the foundation upon which you build your entire menu around. You’ll need lean meats, and as suggested, only eat red meat twice a week with fresh fish making up at least three meals per week. Those healthy Omega 3s are amazing for a heart-healthy diet.

Fresh Fruits Instead of Pies

One of the most difficult things to give up on a healthy diet for seniors is sweets, of almost any kind. Instead of eating a slice of cake or pie, try some fresh sliced fruit. Almost any kind of fruit makes a lovely after dinner dessert and if you eat it with yogurt, you are giving your body a source of probiotics that is great for digestion as well.

While you shouldn’t deny yourself an occasional piece of chocolate, for example, you might want to make sure it is dark chocolate because it is said to be healthier than milk chocolate. It may not have any fewer calories, but dark chocolate is the healthier of the two, so if you must, then go dark!

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