“I have trouble chewing.” “Food just doesn’t taste the same anymore.” “I can’t get out to go shopping.” “It’s too much trouble to cook for one person.” “I’m just not that hungry.”
Sound familiar? These are a few common reasons some older people don’t eat healthy meals. But, making healthy food choices is a smart thing to do—no matter how old you are!
Here are some tips to get you started:
- Eat many different colors and types of vegetables and fruits
- Make sure at least half of your grains are whole grains
- Eat only small amounts of solid fats, oils, and foods high in sugars. Limit saturated fat (found mostly in foods that come from animals) or trans fats (found in foods like some margarines, shortening, cookies, and crackers).
Plan for Healthy Eating
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) suggest two eating plans. Eating a variety of foods from each food group in either plan will help you get the nutrients you need.
One plan is called the USDA Food Guide (also known as MyPyramid). It suggests that people 50 or older choose healthy foods every day from the following:
Fruits—1-1/2 to 2-1/2 cups
What is the same as 1/2 cup of cut-up fruit? One medium whole fruit or ¼ cup of dried fruit
Vegetables—2 to 3-1/2 cups
What is the same as a cup of cut-up vegetables? Two cups of uncooked leafy vegetable
Grains—5 to 10 ounces
What is the same as an ounce of grains? One roll, a small muffin, a slice of bread, 1 cup of flaked, ready-to-eat cereal, or ½ cup of cooked rice, pasta, or cereal
Meat/beans—5 to 7 ounces
What is the same as an ounce of meat, fish, or poultry? One egg, ¼ cup of cooked beans or tofu, ½ ounce of nuts or seeds, or 1 tablespoon of peanut butter
Milk—3 cups of fat-free or low-fat milk
What is the same as 1 cup of milk? One cup of yogurt or 1-1/2 to 2 ounces of cheese. One cup of cottage cheese is the same as ½ cup of milk.
Your doctor may have suggested that you follow a certain diet because you have a health problem like heart disease or diabetes. Or, you might have been told to avoid eating certain foods because they can change how well your medicines work. Talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian about foods you can eat instead.
Here’s a tip: Stay away from “empty calories.” These are foods and drinks with a lot of calories but not many nutrients—for example, chips, cookies, sodas, and alcohol.
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Article provided by the National Institute on Aging
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services