Page 10 - Healthcare News 2023 Senior Planning Guide

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Nutrition
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Six Nutritional Tips for Older Adults
Older adults have unique nutritional needs.
Simple adjustments can go a long way toward building a healthier eating pattern. Follow these tips from the National
Institute on Aging to get the most out of foods and beverages while meeting your nutrient needs and reducing the risk of disease.
• Enjoy a variety of foods from each food group to help reduce the risk of developing diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease. Choose foods with little to no added sugar, saturated fats, and sodium.
• To get enough protein throughout the day and maintain muscle, try adding seafood, dairy, or fortified soy products, along with beans, peas, and lentils, to your meals.
• Add sliced or chopped fruits and vegetables to meals and snacks. Look for pre-cut varieties if slicing and chopping are a challenge for you.
• Try foods fortified with vitamin B12, such as some cereals, or talk to your doctor about taking a B12 supplement.
• Reduce sodium intake by seasoning foods with herbs and citrus such as lemon juice.
• Drink plenty of water throughout the day to help stay hydrated and aid in the digestion of food and absorption of nutrients. Avoid sugary drinks.
discoloration of fruits such as peaches, apples, pears, and apricots by tossing with lemon juice prior to freezing.
For the best flavor and texture, use ripe, non-bruised produce free of nicks. Most raw fruit freeze just fine without blanching.
Tips for Freezing
• Rinse and cut produce into the desired size.
• Blanch vegetables before freezing. Drop vegetables in boiling water for one to two minutes, then immediately transfer to an ice bath and chill completely to help stop the cooking process. Drain and pat dry.
• Place fruit or vegetables in a single layer on a sheet pan lined with wax or parchment paper. Place in the freezer until the produce is frozen solid.
• Once frozen, pack into whichever freezer-safe container you prefer — a freezer-safe food-storage bag, a plastic container with an airtight lid, plastic wrap, or aluminum foil. Avoid glass, as it can shatter and cause your food to become unsafe to eat.
• Leave only a half-inch to one-inch space at the top of containers. Reducing food’s contact with air will prevent ‘off’ flavors or freezer burn.
• Store sauces and soups in freezer-safe food-storage bags and lay flat on shelves to save space.
Tips for Storage
• Practice food safety when cooling leftovers. Cool to room temperature
for no more than two hours, or one hour for hot summer conditions above 90 degrees Fahrenheit, to avoid the risk of a foodborne illness. Putting hot food directly into the freezer creates condensation on the food, which can lead to freezer burn while possibly raising the temperature of the refrigerator. Although freezer-burned food may have off flavors, it will not cause you harm.
• Label foods with prepared, frozen, and use-by dates. Soups and stews with meat can be frozen for up to two to three months. Leftover meals can be frozen for two to six months, and fruits and vegetables can be frozen for up to one year.
Tips for Thawing
• Determine the quality of food after thawing. First, check odor, as some foods will develop a rancid or off odor when frozen too long. Discard such items.
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AUGUST 7, 2023
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Nutrition
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