Healthy Foods for Seniors

A mistaken belief is that one needs to be on a low-calorie diet to stay within the healthy foods category. Rather, it is important to eat enough calories but not too many. The average daily allowance is 2000 calories. However, this varies depending on your age, sex, height, and present weight. Keep the portions moderate and avoid high calorie foods such as pie and cake. These favorites can be eaten if it is done occasionally and in moderation. Limit them. As an example, one daily 12 ounce can of soda (160 calories) can increase your weight by 16 pounds in one year.

Adding physical activity is also important along with selecting healthy foods. Eat plenty of vegetables, fruits, grains and legumes. Eating time should be an enjoyable time and rushing without chewing properly takes the fun out of eating and one is tempted to replace "fun" with sugary snacks. It is best not to eat while under stress as this can give us heartburn and colitis. Rushing through eating while driving or arguing, even though most of it is healthy food, can cause us to eat more than we really need, and without the enjoyment we want to get out of eating. The healthy diet should contain twenty to thirty grams of fiber a day.

Primary sources of fiber are beans, fruit, and oat products. These help to lower blood fats and to maintain blood sugar. The United States Department of Agriculture has published its Food Pyramid which can serve as a guide for healthy diets, including diets for seniors. The breakfast is a significant part of healthy living. Eating the calories early in the day also gives the body time to work off the calories. Some find it better to eat small, healthy meals throughout the day rather than three large meals.