10 Foods Seniors Should Remove From Their Diet’s Today: Live Longer
10 foods seniors should remove from their diet’s today: Live longer
Many seniors often find themselves living a life full of sickness and disease. This is even more reason why they should be more mindful of the foods they eat. Dieting is not only good for your physical health, but it also has enormous implications for your mental well-being.
Dieting for seniors is different from dieting for someone in their 20’s. The foods seniors should consume differently are the foods they should avoid. This blog post will discuss 10 foods that seniors need to remove from their diet today to start living healthier lives!
Sugary drinks such as soda
Sugar contributes to obesity and chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, and diabetes. These drinks are also full of empty calories that don’t provide any nutritional value whatsoever.
Sugary drinks can cause kidney stones and decrease bone density. Natural juices are a much better alternative, but spring or filtered water is still the best choice for seniors who want to stay healthy!
White bread and pasta
White rice and white bread are usually bleached with chlorine dioxide or other chemicals instead of naturally occurring nutrients. Most white foods contain chemicals to make them whiter and longer shelf life.
White foods are not only bleached with chemicals, but they also contain low levels of fiber which is essential for seniors in keeping their digestive system working properly!
Processed meats that contain nitrates (bacon)
These types of deli meat often contain additives to enhance flavor or color. They are high in fat content as well as sodium too! Furthermore, processed meats can be filled with nitrates that cause cancer cells to grow rapidly within the body. It’s important to remember that these kinds of foods may taste good at first, but it’s causing long-term health problems down the road, especially if you’re eating them regularly!
Margarine spread made with trans fat.
Margarine spread is bad for you because it contains a lot of saturated fat and trans fat, which is even worse than the good ol’ butter! Trans fats have been linked to cardiovascular disease. Diet margarine spreads are not much better either since they contain chemicals too.
Trans fats increase LDL cholesterol levels within the body while decreasing HDL cholesterol at the same time. These harmful types of fat can cause heart attacks or strokes if you eat them daily! It’s important seniors stop consuming margarine as soon as possible.
Healthier alternatives to margarine are:
Olive Oil
Coconut Oil
Avocado Oil
Grapeseed Oil
If you love baking, there’s no reason to hold back from making yummy creations in your kitchen. Use these substitutes for a healthier outcome.
Fried foods
It shouldn’t surprise that fried foods aren’t good for you. They are high in saturated fat and calories, leading to obesity and other chronic diseases.
Fried foods contain unhealthy oils that damage your heart and increase your cancer risk. Seniors should avoid frying their food as much as possible or choose a healthier cooking method like baking or grilling! This also included breaded meats!
Non-fermented soy products such as tofu, miso, tempeh, and soymilk
Soy products are suitable for your brain and help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. However, soy should be consumed in moderation because it can disrupt thyroid function if you overeat!
Soy products are high in plant chemicals called isoflavones, which lower the risk of getting breast cancer. Yet, it’s important to remember that too much soy can increase estrogen levels and put you at a higher risk for other cancers such as ovarian or uterine!
Healthier alternatives to non-fermented soy products are:
Milk from Grass-Fed Cows
Coconut Milk
Almond Milk
Too much soy can lead to serious health problems, so seniors must disregard high consuming amounts of non-fermented soy!
Alcoholic drinks
Alcohol should be limited. Alcohol is high in calories, leading to weight gain if consumed excessively. Alcohol can also damage the liver, brain cells, and heart.
Consider wine as an alternative. Wine has been shown to have health benefits due to its antioxidants. However, moderation is key! Too much wine can also lead to negative consequences for seniors’ health.
Avoid alcoholic drinks such as beer, cocktails, and sugary mixers.
Seniors need to keep track of how much alcohol they’re consuming and try not to exceed the recommended amount each week!
Red Meat
Many seniors love their red steaks and bacon; however, these types of meat are high in cholesterol and saturated fat, which can raise your risk for heart disease. Dieting means limiting the amount of red meat you consume each week, especially if it’s not grass-fed beef or organic.
If you’re looking for a healthier red meat option, try seafood instead! Seafood is full of omega fatty acids that improve heart health.
Artificial Sugar
Sugar should never be consumed, but seniors must avoid these types of sugars. Dieting means cutting down on sugar and artificial sugars as much as possible!
Sugar is high in calories, increasing your risk of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Artificial sugars such as High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) lead to insulin resistance and inflammation throughout the body, causing damage to cells.
Seniors should always choose beverages without HFCS or other types of added sugars.
Healthier alternatives to eating products containing artificial sugar are:
Coconut Sugar
Agave Nectar
Stevia Leaf
Raw Honey
Fruits with natural sugar
Grapes
Strawberries, Raspberries, Blueberries
Mangoes
Kiwi
Oranges
Bananas
Pomegranate
Nectarines
Pears
Peaches
Artificial sugar is the leading cause of many diseases, so seniors need to avoid sugar as much as possible! Dieting means cutting out all artificially added sugars from your diet.
Processed foods
Processed foods are loaded with sodium, sugar, unhealthy fats, and chemicals that can harm your health. Limiting the number of processed foods a senior consumes each day will improve their health.
Aim to eat organically grown whole foods over factory-farmed poultry products that contain antibiotics and hormones!
Healthy alternatives of processed foods include:
Grass-Fed Beef Burgers & Organic Chicken: Processed Foods without the harmful ingredients and chemicals!
Whole Grains – Brown Rice, Quinoa, etc.: Whole grains are high in fiber which can help regulate digestion and reduce the risk of heart disease.
Colorful Vegetables: The fibrous ones, such as broccoli and carrots, bell peppers, garlic, squashes, and eggplant. Natural veggies are lower in calories.
Free-Range Chicken and Turkey: a lean protein high in omega fatty acids.
Beans, Peas & Lentils: Limit your intake of animal fats while focusing on plant-based proteins such as beans rich in fiber.
Wild-Caught Fish: Fish is high in healthy fats, protein, vitamins, minerals. Fish caught in the wild-caught fish is a healthier option than farmed fish.
Fish oil supplements should also be taken since Omega fatty acids help improve brain function for seniors with Alzheimer’s disease.
Oats: Oats are low in sugar and high in fiber. Oatmeal is also a great source of protein for seniors on the go!
We hope you found this blog post helpful in identifying 10 foods seniors should remove from their diet so that they can live happier, healthier lives. The next time you are at the grocery store, take a moment to read through the labels on food products and try to avoid these unhealthy items. It may seem impossible, but there are plenty of alternatives that can help your senior loved one maintain a healthy lifestyle! It’s a known fact that a more nutritious diet can help reduce your risk of diseases like obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.
Dieting doesn’t have to be complicated. All it takes is a little bit of effort and knowledge on what to avoid! Remember that even small changes make an impact over time.
Share this post with your loved one, who could use some helpful dieting tips.