Senior Services July-August Newsletter

Healthy Lifestyles for Healthy Older Adults

Contributors: Esther Ellis, MS, RDN, LDN
Reviewers: Academy Nutrition Information Services Team

Americans are living longer, enjoying energetic and active lifestyles well into their 80s and 90s. Study after study confirm eating well and being active can make a dramatic difference in the quality of life for older adults.
You are never too old to enjoy the benefits of improved nutrition and fitness. With nutrient-rich foods and activities with friends, you can feel an immediate difference in your energy levels and enjoyment of life. In fact, as we get older, our food and activity choices are as important as ever to our health.

Retired people on limited incomes may have trouble buying enough nutrient-rich foods to meet all their nutritional needs. If this is a problem for you or someone you love, explore the options for senior meal sites, Meals on Wheels or supplemental nutrition assistance programs in your community.

Enjoy the Power of Protein
People of all ages need protein for strong, healthy bodies. Some older adults do not get the protein they need to maintain muscle mass, fight infection and recover from an accident or surgery. Chewing protein foods such as meat can be a problem for some older adults. Here are a few tasty tips to pump up your protein intake, without upsetting your food budget or energy balance.

• Enjoy More Beans. Add canned beans to salads, soups, rice dishes and casseroles.
• Make Your Crackers Count. Spread peanut butter on whole-grain crackers and eat
   hem as snacks or alongside soup, chili or salad.
• Amp Up Your Eggs. Mix grated, low-fat cheese or extra egg whites into scrambled eggs. Eggs are a simple, tasty source of protein and other key nutrients. And, contrary to popular belief, they’re not necessarily bad for your heart health. Recent studies show that one egg a day is safe for most people. Just don’t pair it with saturated fat sources like bacon, butter, and bakery muffins.
• Cook with Milk. Use fat-free or low-fat milk or fortified soy milk, rather than water, to make creamy soups or oatmeal.
• Use Dry Milk Powder. Mix a spoonful of dry milk into fluid milk, cream soups and mashed potatoes.
• Add crunch and boost your protein intake by including seeds and nuts in recipes, or as snacks. Nut butters, such as peanut butter, can be another tasty, low-cost way to meet your daily required protein intake. Just watch out for added fats and salt with these items.

Protein should make up 10% to 35% of total calories for adults.

Aim for three servings of low-fat or fat-free dairy and 3-ounce equivalents of protein foods (such as fish, beans, poultry or lean meat) each day, to provide quality sources of protein to help reach that goal. Grains, especially whole grains, also provide some protein but are typically not enough to meet protein needs on their own.