Eating for health in later life
In our Research Café article series, we explore the research evidence about what helps us enjoy good wellbeing and health in later years. This time our focus is food.
Research tells us that as you get older, eating well can help improve mental sharpness, boost energy, and increase resistance to illness. What you eat has a big impact on the health of your bones, eyes, heart, brain, and more.
But nutrition is a topic for which conflicting news stories and emerging evidence can make it tricky to know what you should or should not be eating. And the advice can be a little different for older adults. Here are some top tips.
Enjoy variety
A healthy meal includes a combination of lean protein (lean meats, seafood, eggs, beans), fruits and vegetables (more colour, the better), whole grains (brown rice, whole wheat pasta) and dairy (milk and its alternatives). Age Scotland’s Eat Well guide tells you more.
More protein - and movement
Our muscles tend to decline with age, but a higher protein intake in addition to daily physical activity, appears to help older adults maintain their muscles. Age Scotland’s Keeping Active in Later Life guide tells you more about the benefits of moving more and how to get started if you’ve been inactive. Depending on the individual the amount of protein needed can vary, but as a rule of thumb try to include protein with every meal. Good sources include eggs, fish, lean meat, beans and tofu.
Ease off ultra-processed foods
Grocers and supermarkets are awash with ultra-processed foods, which research suggests are bad for health. For instance eaten regularly these foods can kill good microbes in our digestive system that help us stay well and enjoy mental wellbeing and brain health. To tell whether a food is ultra-processed, look at the label. If it has a long list of ingredients that you’d never find in a household kitchen it’s likely to be ultra-processed.
Be vitamin aware
Studies show that the ability to digest, absorb, and use vitamins decreases with age. But vitamin supplements aren’t necessarily the answer – for most people having a healthy balanced diet will ensure they meet their vitamin needs. Older vegetarians and vegans may find that harder – charity V for Life has information to help.
One daily supplement that is advisable is vitamin D. While some foods such as oily fish and eggs are high in vitamin D, our main source is sunlight, something in short supply in Scotland in the winter months. The NHS recommends a 10mg daily supplement for all adults from October to March, and year-round for adults who are indoor a lot and people from ethnic minority groups with dark skin.
Enjoy your food
In later life our senses of smell and taste get worse, and appetite and motivation to prepare good food can lessen. But there are ways to boost enjoyment. Choose healthy foods that are visually appealing, and experiment with spices, herbs, and textures. Challenge yourself to try novel wholesome foods. Eat smaller meals, but more often. Look for opportunities to eat socially, but if it’s just you, make mealtimes more of an occasion for example by setting and sitting at the table.
Unplanned weight-loss, reduced muscle strength, and more frequent illness can be signs of malnutrition. Speak to your GP or a nutritionist if any apply to you. You may be familiar with general advice to cut calories, but undernourished older people can benefit from the reverse – adding calories, for example with full fat options such as butter, cream, and nuts.
Decades of misleading advertising have given fat a bad name. Some fats are bad – generally those in ultra-processed foods. But other fats are healthy as part of a balanced diet. Good sources include oily fish, walnuts, flaxseeds, and tofu.
Find out more about eating well in later life here.
