Functional foods are foods that have special functions and effects on the human body or its parts. Currently, researchers are studying from the aspects of extending cell lifespan, enhancing endocrine function, and improving human immune function, and have developed a series of foods beneficial for anti-aging.
1. Brain-boosting and intelligence-enhancing foods: The elderly all experience varying degrees of memory decline.
Therefore, the elderly, especially those engaged in mental work, need to consume brain-boosting foods to improve the phenomenon of insufficient mental capacity. Medical research has found that foods such as lecithin, cephalin, and glutamate can improve the functional activity of the brain and delay its aging and decline. Foods rich in lecithin include egg yolks, soybeans, etc. Honey and chocolate are also brain-boosting foods.
2. Weight-loss and light-body foods: Weight-loss foods are a type of highly scientific food in the modern food market. These foods have a good sensory impression, color, and taste, and have a certain volume, but are low in nutrition and calories. When consumed by overweight people, they can reduce body weight without adverse reactions. Scientists have found that pectin is an ideal weight-loss food; its own component, hemicellulose, contains almost no nutrition and is not absorbed by the human body, making it effective for weight loss when made into weight-loss foods. Traditional Chinese weight-loss foods include lotus leaf congee, Poria, mushrooms, as well as licorice, Job's tears, and Eucommia. Long-term consumption of such foods can enhance physical fitness, lighten the body, and prolong life.
3. Taste-enhancing foods: Taste-enhancing foods can help people increase their appetite and promote digestion.
Due to a reduction in taste buds and structural atrophy, the elderly often cannot perceive bland flavors and are often unsatisfied with unsalted foods. Therefore, it is advisable to use more sweet, salty, sour, mustard, pepper, and various delicious flavors in foods for the elderly. Many taste-rich foods have now been developed worldwide, suitable for the elderly to eat.
4. Skin and hair-benefiting foods: Due to decreased endocrine function and reduced sex hormone secretion, the elderly's skin can become dry, wrinkled, and develop pigmentation and spots. However, certain foods are beneficial to the skin, and regular consumption can make the skin smooth and moisturized. Foods with these effects include lotus seeds, longan pulp, lily, walnuts, sesame seeds, vegetable oils, fruits, etc. A soup made by cooking lotus seeds, longan pulp, lily, and Euryale ferox together, or a congee made with pig kidneys, walnuts, jujubes, and glutinous rice, can both moisturize the skin. Foods containing deer antler, fleeceflower root, Eclipta prostrata, Agrimonia pilosa, and ligustrum can darken hair. The fleeceflower root and black sesame in black hair candy both have hair-darkening effects.
5. Anti-dementia foods: Senile dementia is a common disease. Forgetfulness, irritability, and lethargy often adversely affect the happiness of later years. Japanese scientists have found that eating eggs and soybeans together is beneficial for preventing and treating senile dementia.