Nutrition Food Values
Read our concise guide to nutrition food values, and why “you are what you eat,” as they say. Exactly how you eat impacts your health and quality of life. This is especially true as we age. You may know that elderly nutrition problems are fast becoming some of the major elderly issues that we deal with as we get older. Problems that lead to heart disease, stroke, diabetes, vision issues, mental confusion, even outright malnutrition. It is particularly important that we understand nutrition food values for ourselves, our elderly loved ones, and all those whom we care for. Good elderly nutrition is often based on a publication by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services called, “The Dietary Guidelines for Americans.” It outlines recommendations for nutrition and exercise, based on their scientific research. Obviously, most nutrition should come through eating healthy food, the more natural the better. Nutritional supplements can be taken as necessary to fill in the gaps, but only with the supervision of a doctor, so as not to conflict with medications. 
These dietary guidelines are only that – general guidelines for nutrition food value. A professional dealing in senior health care can adjust specifics according to an individual’s needs and medical circumstances. As mentioned on our
Elderly Nutrition
page, the USDA has updated the Food Pyramid and now teaches that “one size does not fit all.” The basic nutrition food values and recommendations are given below. Let’s begin with a re-cap of the major food groups.Food Groups:
Whole Grains 
Whole grains are made from the entire grain seed (kernel), and do not process out parts of the grain. Just because a food “looks” like it is natural, does not mean it is. Many so-called wheat breads, for instance, contain artificial coloring. It is important that the bran and germ remain. Enriching foods after processing is not as natural, and it is debated on how much true nutrition the body really absorbs from artificially enriched foods. Great grains include not only whole wheat, oats, corn, barley and rice, but also buckwheat, triticale, quinoa, sorghum and millet. Eat at least 3 or more ounces of whole grains per day.
Fruits and VegetablesRecommended for elderly nutrition are 5 to 13 servings in combination, depending on calorie intake needed. This group provides important nutrition food values such as vitamins, minerals and fiber that are vital for elderly nutrition. For fruits, the whole fruit is best for most of the daily servings, in order to get enough fiber. Servings can include fresh, frozen, canned, or dried. Fruit juices that contain pulp are preferable. Take special care with fresh or raw food, as these can cause problems in elderly nutrition food safety. Vegetables should be varied throughout the week: …Dark green vegetables -- 3 cups per week …Starchy vegetables -- 3 cups per week …Orange vegetables – 2 cups per week …Legumes (dried beans) – 3 cups per week …Other vegetables – 6 ½ cups per week Favorite Fruit Nutrition Facts -- We have an entire page on our favorite fruit nutrition facts, Like, how fruit can sort of "vacuum" you out, rid you of toxins that cause disease, and send in their antioxidants to take out those destructive free radicals that wreak havoc with our cells and health. We even provide the official FDA Fruit Nutrition Fact chart to compare nutrients among different fruit -- which fruits are higher are better for various uses. Click here - to get the FDA Fruit Nutrition chart. Click here - to get the FDA Vegetable Nutrition chart. Milk and Dairy Products The main nutrition food values for this group are related to calcium and vitamins such as D, which is necessary for bone density health in elderly nutrition. Milk products include yoghurt, cheese and cottage cheese. Milk products in moderate amounts, especially if they are low-fat, will not cause weight gain. If you have lactose intolerance, try yoghurt or lactose-free milk. The enzyme called lactase can also be taken before consuming milk products. If you cannot take milk products at all, there are other nondairy alternatives, such as soy products and goat milk, which is delicious from the right company or farm. Always ask your doctor. 
FatsYou may have heard of “good fats.” Fats and oils are high in nutrition food values, and are a necessary part of elderly nutrition, but the kind you eat makes the difference, especially to your heart. Always check product labels to avoid saturated fats, cholesterol, and transfats. These contribute to heart disease. However, good fats can be found in both plant and animal foods. They help build strong membranes and supply important essential fatty acids and energy. They also help with the absorption of certain vitamins such as Vitamin A, D E, and K. Of your total calorie intake, about 20 to 30 percent should be from fats and oils. Foods include nuts, fish, and vegetable oils are excellent for elderly health. When buying and cooking, choose recipes that have low-fat and lean foods. Click here - to get the FDA Seafood and Fish Nutrition chart -- this chart shows you a comparison of the nutrition food values of different types of fish, including shell fish and salmon. Carbohydrates For top elderly nutrition, diets and cooking recipes should be rich in good carbohydrates, and should be 45 to 65 percent of your calorie intake. They are rich in nutrition food values, including fiber, are excellent for giving energy and avoiding heart disease, constipation, and Type 2 diabetes. Good carbs, natural sugars and starches, supply our bodies with glucose, which is important for healthy blood cells. They also give nutrition to the brain and nervous system. Good, natural carbs can be found in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and milk. Legumes (dried beans and peas) are also high in fiber. They are part of both the vegetable and meat/beans groups. Fiber foods are important to avoid constipation, which affects about 20 percent of elderly over age 65, especially those on certain medications. Senior health care specialists say to avoid table sugar and other sweeteners as much as possible. They may provide flavor, but also a lot of calories and almost no nutrition, and can be taxing on the body to process. 
Sodium and PotassiumElderly nutrition is concerned with salt intake. Salt is the familiar name for sodium chloride. You may know that salt is connected to high blood pressure, which risks heart disease, kidney failure, and stroke. So reducing salt has a strong relationship to the above conditions. The word sodium, rather than salt, is usually listed on packaging. Reads labels carefully to be sure of sodium content. Foods that are low in salt have less than 140 mg of sodium. It is recommended that for ideal elderly health, eat less than one teaspoon of salt per day, which is about 2300 mg of sodium total. Reducing salt in food may seem distasteful at first, but other seasonings can be used, and eventually the taste buds become used to the new flavors. Always ask your doctor about salt substitutes, as they contain potassium chloride and can interfere with some medical conditions. While lowering salt intake, having nutrition food values rich in potassium are as important. Potassium is contained in many fruits and vegetables – bananas being one of them. Potassium helps moderate the effects salt has in the body. It has been associated with stronger bones and reduced risk of kidney stones.
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