From the old age (generally 65 years old), human muscle tissue tends to shrink and basal metabolism declines. Therefore, the demand for energy is relatively reduced, but the demand for most nutrients has not decreased.
Therefore, in life, the elderly should remember not to ignore the problem of diet and nutrition because of their old age and decreased metabolism.
Once the physical resistance and digestive ability of the elderly decline, it will accelerate the aging process. In the daily diet, the elderly should pay attention to the following nutrients:
(1) protein: protein is a very important nutrient for the elderly, but the "quantity" should not be too much, because the digestive ability and renal function of the elderly are weakened, so we should pay attention to the "quality" of protein, mainly relying on supplementation. High-quality protein, such as meat, eggs, milk and bean products, is beneficial to the synthesis and metabolism of protein in the body. The elderly can drink 250 grams of milk every day and often eat tofu, soybean milk, eggs, lean meat and other foods to ensure a certain amount of high-quality protein intake.
(2) Fat: We eat two kinds of fat, one is animal fat, such as pig, cow and sheep oil (containing more saturated fatty acids); The other is vegetable fat, such as peanut oil, soybean oil and rapeseed oil (containing more unsaturated fatty acids). Experiments show that the former can increase the content of serum cholesterol, while the latter can reduce the content of serum cholesterol and triglyceride under the premise of constant calorie. Therefore, the elderly should eat less animal fat and more vegetable oil in their lives.
(3) Carbohydrate: With the increase of age, the tolerance of the elderly to glucose metabolism decreases. Therefore, the intake of carbohydrates should be mainly cereals, and the intake of sweets, food and drinks should be minimized. Generally speaking, the carbohydrate intake of the elderly should account for 50%-55% of the total calories, with a maximum of 60%.
(4) Vitamins: The elderly need vitamins very much, because many vitamins participate in the catalytic reaction of metabolic process in the form of coenzyme. The metabolic capacity of the elderly is declining, and various manifestations of aging are closely related to vitamin deficiency. In fact, the vitamin saturation of the elderly is also very poor. Therefore, the elderly should pay attention to vitamin supplementation.
Vitamin a plays an important role in maintaining the integrity of epithelial tissue structure; Vitamin E can prevent the peroxidation of unsaturated fatty acids, reduce plasma cholesterol, improve skin elasticity and delay gonadal atrophy. Vitamin C can delay the progression of arteriosclerosis and enhance resistance.
(5) Inorganic salt: The most easily deficient inorganic salt is calcium. Because of the low calcium absorption rate and poor utilization and storage capacity of calcium, the elderly are prone to negative calcium metabolism balance. Osteoporosis is the result of insufficient calcium supply in diet and lack of exercise.
Therefore, comprehensive control measures should be taken. Pay attention to the selection of foods with high calcium content and easy absorption, such as bean products, milk, green leafy vegetables and shrimp. At the same time, bask in the sun and promote the synthesis of vitamin D in the body. In addition, the elderly are often anemic due to insufficient iron intake. At the same time, the elderly should keep a light diet. They should limit their salt intake. It is best to maintain a daily intake of 5~6 grams, otherwise it will cause water and sodium retention in the body and increase the burden on the heart and kidneys.
(6) Cellulose: Dietary fiber refers to the indigestible part of plant food. Such as bran, is mainly composed of fibers. Dietary fiber is not an essential nutrient for human beings, but some diseases, especially the common diseases of the elderly, are related to the long-term lack of fiber in the diet. Such as coronary heart disease, diabetes, colon cancer, rectal cancer, hemorrhoids and constipation.
Due to the decline of chewing and digestive functions, the elderly have a fine diet and low dietary fiber content. Therefore, the elderly should eat more fibrous food. Fiber in food can reduce the intake of heat energy and reduce the digestion and absorption of nutrients in the intestine, thus achieving the purpose of losing weight. Pectin in fiber can bind cholesterol, and lignin can bind cholic acid, thus reducing bile acid and preventing coronary heart disease; Pectin in fiber can also prolong the residence time of food in intestine, reduce the absorption rate of glucose and cellulose, and promote gastrointestinal peristalsis, thus preventing constipation and hemorrhoids and reducing the residence time of carcinogens in intestine. Of course, it is not good to eat more fiber food. Too much food can cause flatulence, diarrhea and reduced absorption of some trace elements.
The elderly should try to satisfy the above six kinds of nutrition in their daily life. But the elderly should also pay attention to four foods that are harmful to health and should be avoided:
(1) Red meat and its products, including hamburgers, cheeseburgers and patties.
(2) Processing meat, such as hot dogs, ham, lunch meat, etc.
(3) Full-fat milk and cheese (except low-fat cheese and yogurt).
(4) Baked food, such as biscuits, cakes, donuts, etc.
These foods are the main source of fat. Excessive body fat can lead to cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, digestive system diseases, arthritis complications, not to mention heart disease and high cholesterol.