Nutrition and the Elderly : Recipes for a Long, Healthy Life

by Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

(Page 4 of 4)

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans established by the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences, in Washington, D.C., include the basic food groups that supply people with an adequate diet of minerals, proteins, vitamins, and energy. While no guideline can guarantee perfect health, people who follow these recommendations will give themselves a good foundation for health.

In general, people should eat a variety of foods, maintain a desirable weight, and avoid fried and fatty foods in order to cut down intakes of fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol; eat an adequate amount of fiber-rich foods; avoid too much sugar and starch; and drink alcohol only in moderation.

The Recommended Dietary Allowances established for the 51 and older age group, says Gail Martin, assistant administrative director of the National Association of Meal Programs, provide a framework around which older Americans should base their diets. If they wish to increase calorie intake, they should select extra portions of food from one of the following categories:

Daily regimen:

• 2 to 3 half-cup servings of milk, cheese or yogurt for men
• 4 half-cup servings of milk, cheese or yogurt for women
• 6 or more servings of whole-grain breads or cereals
• 2 to 4 half-cup servings of fruit
• 3 to 5 half-cup servings of vegetables
• 2 to 3 servings, or 5 to 7 ounces, of protein (lean meat, poultry, fish, and alternates such as eggs, nuts, and dried beans and peas)

The following recipes, provided by Martin, are balanced, nutritious and wholesome. The dishes also provide a variety of flavors, colors and textures with a minimum of fat and no extra salt.

Aunt Louise's Chicken

1 whole chicken breast
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 green pepper, cut into chunks
1 medium onion, cut into chunks
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ tsp. curry powder
1 bay leaf
1 cup chicken stock

Simmer chicken breast in 2 cups of water with bay leaf for 20 minutes.Remove and cool in refrigerator. Skim the fat from top of the stock when it is solidified.

Bone the chicken and combine with the chicken stock, stewed tomatoes, green pepper, onions, garlic, and curry powder. Simmer for 20 minutes.Thicken slightly with cornstarch and water. Serve with rice, three-quarters of a cup per person. (Suggestion: Prepare the rice using leftover chicken stock.) Serves 2.

Orange Carrots

Cook fresh carrot slices until slightly crisp. Instead of butter and/or salt, spoon desired amount of concentrated frozen orange juice over the hot carrots.

Bran Cereal Muffins

1 cup whole bran cereal
1 cup milk
1 egg
¼ cup corn oil
¼ cup honey
2 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 ¼ cups whole-wheat flour, unsifted

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix bran cereal and milk in a bowl, and let stand 1 or 2 minutes. Add egg, oil and honey. Beat well. Combine remaining ingredients and stir until well mixed. Add to liquid mixture and stir only until mixed. Spoon into 12 greased muffin tins. Bake about 20 to 25 minutes. Makes 12 medium-sized muffins.

Conclude dinner with fresh seasonal fruit.

Colleen Pierre of the American Dietetic Association and director of Eating Together in Baltimore observes that many senior citizens prefer to snack rather than sit down to a full, prepared meal. To assure them anadequate intake of all nutrients each day, she recommends the following snack plan — which is a very basic, balanced program that "meets the caloric and nutritional needs of a sedentary woman in the 60-to-75-year age range without cooking a major meal. Add the starred items to meet the caloric needs of the sedentary man the same age," says Pierre.

One-day snack plan:

• 1 cup of hot chocolate with whole-wheat toast and 1 teaspoon margarine
• 1 hard-boiled egg and glass of orange juice
• a half cup of low-fat vanilla yogurt with 4 ounces crushed pineapple and 2 tablespoons wheat germ
• 2 graham crackers with 2 tablespoons peanut butter and a half cup of low-fat milk
• 1 small banana
• unsalted pretzels
• 5 pitted prunes
• 1 two-ounce piece of cold chicken, 1 slice rye bread, 1 teaspoon margarine, and a half cup of mixed vegetables (a light meal/snack)
• 1 cup split pea soup and 4 unsalted shredded wheat crackers
• 1 cup whole-grain cereal with a half cup of low-fat milk, 1 teaspoon sugar, and a serving of fruit

About the Author

www.fda.gov
FDA is A United States government body that oversees medical devices, including contact lenses, intraocular lenses, excimer lasers and eyedrops. In the US, these products must be approved by the FDA before they can be marketed.