With age, the digestive organs of middle-aged and elderly people will undergo progressive and irreversible degenerative changes, and the functions of absorption, metabolism and excretion will also be correspondingly reduced. Therefore, choosing reasonable, appropriate, nutritionally balanced food is very important for the health and well-being of middle-aged and elderly people.
1. Total calorie intake should be appropriately limited, but the supply of protein must be sufficient, and attention should be paid to whether digestion and absorption are good after eating. For example, soy milk, tofu and other soy products, not only high protein content, but also conducive to chewing and good absorption, so it is recommended that middle-aged and elderly people can eat more. In addition, the two foods such as chicken and fish are high in protein, less fat and high in absorption, and are also very suitable for middle-aged and elderly people.
2. Due to the reduction of bile secretion and esterase activity in middle-aged and elderly people, the digestive function of fat is also reduced, so middle-aged and elderly people should reduce the amount of fat in the diet, generally accounting for 20%~30% of the total dietary energy. It is recommended that vegetable oils rich in unsaturated fatty acids should be the mainstay, and the intake of animal fats with high saturated fatty acid content, such as fatty meat, lard, butter, cream, etc., should be limited.
3. Middle-aged and elderly people are also very prone to constipation, so it is recommended to eat some coarse grains rich in plant fiber (100g per day), such as millet, corn, oats, sweet potatoes, etc., it can stimulate intestinal peristalsis, promote laxation, effectively relieve and prevent constipation, and reduce the incidence of colon cancer.
4. Osteoporosis is a common disease that threatens middle-aged and elderly people, and many aging symptoms are caused by it, such as peripheral bone pain, low back and leg pain, and limited physical activity. Therefore, middle-aged and elderly people should also eat calcium-rich foods, such as shrimp skin, sesame paste, cheese, kelp, seaweed, etc. Among them, kelp and seaweed are also rich in potassium, iodine, iron and other elements, which can effectively prevent and treat hypertension and arteriosclerosis.
5. Vitamin A, C, E and other trace element deficiencies are also common nutritional problems in middle-aged and elderly people, so you should also eat some foods rich in trace elements. Foods rich in vitamin A: eggs, carrots, spinach, Chinese cabbage, etc.; Foods rich in vitamin C: tomatoes, rape, cauliflower, strawberries, oranges, etc.; Foods rich in vitamin E: fungus, walnuts, black sesame, mulberries, etc.
Finally, due to the weak chewing function of the elderly elderly due to the weak chewing function, it is recommended to choose steaming, boiling, stewing and other methods when cooking ingredients, which can not only facilitate chewing, but also preserve the active ingredients in the diet, so as to achieve health and delay aging.
I am Dr. Xin of Yantai Gastroenterology, and I would like to use my spare time to help friends with gastrointestinal health problems. I will take time to answer your questions one by one, and you are welcome to leave a message in the comment area.