I. Eat a Little Less
The daily saliva secretion of the elderly is one-third of that of young people, and gastric acid secretion also decreases to one-fifth of their younger years. Therefore, eating even a little too much can lead to bloating and indigestion. Thus, the amount of food the elderly eat per meal should be reduced by about 10% compared to their younger years, while ensuring smaller, more frequent meals.
II. Eat a Little Better
Protein plays an important role in maintaining the normal metabolism of the elderly and enhancing the body's resistance to disease. For most elderly people, 1 gram of protein per kilogram of body weight is needed, and it should mainly come from high-quality protein sources such as fish, poultry, eggs, milk, and soybeans.
III. Eat More Vegetables
Eating more vegetables is very beneficial for protecting the cardiovascular system and preventing cancer. The elderly should eat at least 250 grams of vegetables daily.
IV. Food Should Be Less Salty
The sense of taste in the elderly often diminishes, leading them to find food bland and crave heavily seasoned foods to enhance their appetite, which unintentionally increases their salt intake. Excessive salt consumption can burden the kidneys, may reduce the barrier function of oral mucosa, and increase the chances of cold viruses surviving and spreading in the upper respiratory tract. Therefore, the daily salt intake for the elderly should be controlled to around 5 grams, and they should eat less cured meat and other salty foods.
V. Eat Less Meat
One should balance meat and vegetables, and combine coarse and fine grains; the more varied the food, the better. The total number of main and side dishes (excluding seasonings) should not be less than 10 per day.
VI. Food Should Be More Aromatic
The "aromatic" here does not refer to using more salt, monosodium glutamate, and other seasonings, but rather adding more aromatics like scallions and ginger to dishes. The five senses are interconnected, and the sense of smell can compensate for the loss of taste. Smelling fragrant food is sure to whet the elderly's appetite.
VII. Food Should Be Warmer
Most raw and cold foods are considered "cold" in nature, and eating too much can affect the digestive and absorptive functions of the spleen and stomach, causing damage. Therefore, the elderly should try to avoid raw and cold foods, paying special attention during the cold winter months.
VIII. Food Should Be Softer
Making rice into congee (porridge) is not only soft and easy to digest but also has the effect of strengthening the spleen and nourishing the stomach, promoting the production of body fluids and moistening dryness, which is beneficial for longevity. However, the elderly should not drink congee for every meal. After all, congee is mostly water and contains very little "solid" food. In the case of the same stomach capacity, the nutritional value of a serving of congee is much less than that of steamed buns or rice. Over the long term, this may lead to malnutrition.
IX. Eat a Little Slower
Chewing slowly helps create a feeling of fullness, preventing overeating and allowing for better digestion of food.
X. Breakfast Should Be Better
Breakfast should account for 30% to 40% of the total daily calories. Its quality and nutritional value should be higher and more refined. It is not advisable to eat greasy, fried, hard, or strongly stimulating foods.
XI. Dinner Should Be Earlier
"An upset stomach leads to a restless night." Eating dinner too late not only affects sleep and leads to calorie storage but can also easily cause urinary tract stones. The peak time for calcium excretion in the human body is 4 to 5 hours after a meal. If dinner is eaten too late or if one often has a late-night snack, the peak time for calcium excretion may occur when the elderly are already asleep. The best time for the elderly to have dinner is between 6 and 7 PM, and they should avoid or eat very few late-night snacks.