Good Nutrition: It's a Way of Life

 “I have trouble chewing.” “Food just doesn’t taste the same anymore.”  “It’s hard to cook for one person.” “I’m just not that hungry anymore.”

Sound familiar? These are some of the common reasons older people stop eating right. And that’s a problem because food provides energy and nutrients everyone needs to stay healthy. Nutrients include proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals, and water. As you grow older, you may need less energy from what you eat. But, you still need just as many of the nutrients in food.

What Should I Eat?

Choose many different healthy foods. Pick those that are lower in cholesterol and fat, especially saturated fat (mostly in foods that come from animals) and trans fatty acids (found in some processed foods, margarines, and shortenings). Avoid “empty calories” as much as you can. These are foods and drinks with a lot of calories, but not many nutrients—for example, chips, cookies, sodas, and alcohol.

How Much Should I Eat?

The Dietary Guidelines from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) encourage people to eat a suggested amount from five major food groups every day. If you can’t do that, at least try to eat something from each group each day. Lower fat choices are best. Make sure you include vegetables, fruits, and whole-grain foods. Eating the smallest amount suggested will give you about 1,600 calories a day, the largest number has about 2,800 calories. The Dietary Guidelines suggest:  

  • Grains—5-10 ounces; some choices are: One roll, slice of bread, or small muffin, 1/2 cup of cooked rice or pasta, or about 1 cup (1 oz.) of ready-to-eat cereal.
  • Vegetables—2 to 31/2 cups with a variety of colors and types of vegetables.
  • Fruits—11/2 to 21/2 cups.
  • Milk, yogurt, and cheese—3 cups of milk: 1 cup of yogurt equals one cup of milk, 11/2 to 2 ounces of cheese equals one cup of milk, 1 cup of cottage cheese equals 1/2 cup of milk.
  • Meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs, and nuts—5 to 7 ounces of lean meat, poultry, or fish: 1/4 cup of cooked beans or tofu, 1 egg, 1/2 ounce of nuts or seeds, or 1 tablespoon of peanut butter—each can count as one ounce of meat.

Some other tips:

  • Each day eat only small amounts of fats, oils, and sweets.
  • When eating foods from the grains group, try to include at least 3 ounces from whole grains.
  • Sometimes manufacturers put more than one serving in a package or bottle.

What About Fiber?

Dietary fiber is found in foods that come from plants—fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds, brown rice, and whole grains. It is the part of plant foods that your body cannot digest. Eating more fiber might help you avoid intestinal problems like constipation, diverticulosis, and diverticulitis. It might also lower cholesterol and blood sugar and help you have regular bowel movements.

If you are not used to eating a lot of fiber, add more fiber to your diet slowly to avoid stomach problems. The best source of this fiber is food, rather than dietary supplements. When adding fiber, remember:

  • Eat cooked dry beans, peas, and lentils often.
  • Leave skins on your fruit and vegetables if possible.
  • Choose whole fruit over fruit juice.
  • Eat whole-grain breads and cereals.
  • Drink lots of fluids to help the fiber move through your intestines. 

How many calories each day for people over age 50?

A woman:      

  • 1,600 calories — if her physical activity level is low
  • 1,800 calories — if she is moderately active
  • 2,000-2,200 calories— if she has an active lifestyle 

A man:           

  • 2,000 calories — if his physical activity level is low
  • 2,200-2,400 calories — if he is moderately active
  • 2,400-2,800 calories — if he has an active lifestyle 

Are You Less Interested in Food?

Does your favorite chicken dish taste different? Does Aunt Molly’s pea soup suddenly seem to need salt? The flavor of the food is probably the same as always. With age your sense of taste and sense of smell may change. This affects how foods taste. They may seem to have lost flavor.

There are other reasons food may not taste the same. Some medicines can change your sense of taste or make you feel less hungry.

Maybe you have slowed down a bit, so your body needs fewer calories. Maybe chewing is difficult because your dentures need to be adjusted or your teeth or gums need to be checked. You might want to pick softer foods to eat.

Confused About What to Eat?

The USDA Dietary Guidelines suggest how much the “average” older person needs to eat. But if you have high cholesterol, a food allergy or diabetes—then you should check with your doctor or a dietitian. They can help you plan meals that will include the healthy foods you need without the foods you should not eat.


-- Information from National Institute of Aging
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