The importance of good nutritional intake for the elderly provides adequate micronutrients and antioxidants (vitamins and minerals) to reduce inflammation, boost the immune system, maintain healthy muscle mass, hormone balance, and provide energy for everyday activities (1).
I have highlighted some of my original example recipe ideas that older adults may want to incorporate into their diets to provide a sufficient nutrient for health.
By no means are these example recipes a prescription for an individualized diet plan, and it is always advised to consult a medical doctor or registered dietitian before making any changes to your diet.
I have included two smoothies, a salad, and a dessert/snack. I have outlined all of the ingredients, preparation instructions, nutritional information, and some additional information regarding the recipe.
Blend all of the ingredients into a blender, add stevia if you prefer a sweeter drink (blend fresh or store for later).
- Protein: 7.5g
- Dietary fat:3g
- Carbohydrates: 75g
- Fibre: 8.5g
This is actually one of my favorite smoothie recipes as it contains a lot of carbohydrates for energy and vitamin C, which is excellent for promoting a healthy immune system.
This smoothie can be very large so you could consider dividing it into 2-3 servings to drink at different times of the day.
I have included yogurt in this smoothie, which will provide some Vitamin D and Calcium. These nutrients are crucial for maintaining a good level of bone mineral density to reduce the chances of bone fractures, which would degrade the quality of living.
Moreover, the beverage contains a good amount of protein, which will promote muscle protein synthesis to maintain some muscle mass. Functional muscle mass is an essential variable for longevity and improved quality of life.
Step 1: Chop up all of the ingredients, put them into a blender, and blend for around 30-40 seconds.
Step 2: Pour into a glass and add stevia sweetener if required for a sweeter beverage.
- Protein: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 57g
- Fat: 0g
- Calories: 136
This is a great smoothie full of micronutrients and some carbohydrates. Overall, I would say this smoothie can promote a healthy immune system and provide energy, not to mention it is straightforward to consume due to being in a liquid form.
If the smoothie is too large, an individual could opt to split it into a couple of servings to drink at different times of the day. You can use other juices such as orange, cranberry, pomegranate, etc. If you do not like pineapple.
Step 1: Dice all of the ingredients and put them into a bowl
Step 2: Squeeze lemon onto the salad
Step 3: Add any other condiments of your choice, for example, apple cider vinegar, chili powder, etc. (Prepare fresh or pre-prepared for later)
- Protein: 7g
- Dietary fat: 18g
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Fibre: 3g
This salad contains various vegetables and some healthy fats, which may promote a healthy hormone balance.
You could opt to include some additional veg of your choice or remove vegetables that you do not like within my recipe.
Step 1: Microwave the rice pudding for 30-40 seconds (optional)
Step 2: Add the cassia cinnamon powder and fruit into the pot.
A study by Hlebowics et al. (2) found that adding 6g of cassia cinnamon to rice pudding slowed down its digestion, thereby lowering its glycaemic index. Due to presenting a lower glycaemic index, it can be consumed as a ‘healthy snack’ with some fruit.
You may opt for the rice pudding without the cinnamon to provide a quick, nutritious snack, with a faster uptake of glucose to be utilized as energy if you are very active or exercising around this snack, but this is not recommended in most cases.
- Protein: 5g
- Dietary fat: 3g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fibre: 0.5g
- Calories: 247.75
This recipe is a quick, tasty snack that contains micronutrients, including vitamin D and calcium. As I have mentioned, these nutrients are essential for maintaining healthy bone density for older adults. Lacking these nutrients can increase the risk of bone fractures and reduce the quality of life.
Older adults need to have a varied diet to get all of their micro and macronutrients contributing to a robust immune system and energy through-out the day. These individuals need to prevent deficiency in certain nutrients, which may hinder health and quality of life.
Note that I have mentioned recipe ideas for snacks, and the macronutrients of meals may be different and perhaps contain slightly more protein to promote muscle mass and mobility.
