Make Sure Your Senior is Getting the Right Nutrients by Including These 4 Ingredients in His Meals

One of the most important services provided by our senior living facility in Phoenix, Arizona concerns ensuring our residents consume healthy meals. The key to achieving this goal is to serve menu items that are chock-full of the nutrients seniors need to live robust lives. This is an especially relevant goal for seniors that require memory care support in Phoenix.

As we age, it becomes more important to eat healthy foods and drink healthy beverages. Changes in the physiology of our bodies result in lower energy requirements, which translates into eating meals that contain fewer calories. Reducing portion sizes is a vital factor in decreasing caloric intake, but seniors also should pay attention to what they eat. The days of grabbing a second slice of cake or a second helping of macaroni and cheese are not gone, but the number of them has dramatically declined.

At the MorningStar at Arcadia assisted living facility, we have a team of nutritionists that help our chefs devise the healthiest meals consisting of foods that deliver the right nutrients. Not one single food group provides all the nutrients our residents need. Instead, our menus include a wide variety of nutrient sources, which include the 4 most important ingredients of fruits, vegetables, pasta, fish, and healthy oils.

What Are the Right Nutrients That Should Be a Part of a Senior’s Diet?

Seniors need to eat foods that contain certain vitamins and minerals that foster the development of a healthy lifestyle.

Calcium

Osteoarthritis is a frequent ailment for older adults, especially older adults over the age of 65 years old. The medical condition receives plenty of attention, such as commercials running throughout the day highlighting the seriousness of the medical condition, as well as strategies to delay or even prevent weakening bones. Calcium represents the most effective vitamin and mineral to reduce the risk of developing osteoarthritis. The most abundant sources of calcium come from dairy products such as milk, cheese, and yogurt. Seniors also receive ample calcium by consuming green leafy vegetables like spinach and broccoli.

Iron

Iron represents a mineral that the body requires for growth and development. The body absorbs iron to produce hemoglobin, which is a protein that supplies oxygen to muscles. Iron also helps the body generate hormones. The most prolific source of iron comes from red meat, but some seniors might have to leave red meat out of their diets because of heart health concerns. Other plentiful food sources of iron include peas, beans, and lentils, which seniors can consume as part of heart-healthy soups and salads. Oily fish like sardines also deliver ample amounts of iron to the bloodstream

Vitamin C and Vitamin D

Foods and beverages that are rich in vitamin C help the body absorb iron in the bloodstream. Consuming citrus fruits, as well as vegetables such as peppers, potatoes, and tomatoes, deliver the right amounts of vitamin C for the body. Vitamin D helps develop and maintain strong bones, teeth, and muscles. Exposure to sunlight helps the body produce vitamin D, but you must be careful not to be overexposed to the sun. For seniors residing at an assisted living facility in Phoenix, AZ, the team of nutritionists might recommend taking vitamin D supplements.

The MorningStar mission statement of “to honor, to value, to invest” is especially relevant for the diets our residents follow. Discover how our senior living facility ensures residents consume the right nutrients by connecting with one of our resident services specialists.