Switch to Soft Diet as you approach 50s!

“Time And health are two precious assets that we don’t recognize and appreciate until they have been depleted.” - Denis Waitley

Each one of us knows the importance of healthy eating, but very few of us follow what is said. This is true of both young age and old age people. We know the nutrients our body gets from leafy vegetables, but how many of us enjoy eating spinach or other green vegetables? Minimal! May be .1%

Eating leafy vegetables are good for the overall health of a person, and the effects of consuming those are visible during your 50s! As our body grows old, it needs a proportionate intake of nutrition, proteins, calcium and vitamin. Also, consumption of hard items becomes difficult. Therefore, people above 50 years of age are recommended soft and light senior diet, one which is easy to chew and consume.

Here are a few tips on what consists of soft food and how to cook such food, without making it tasteless. Read below:

Foods to Avoidr
Soft food diet does not only mean foods that are soft on chewing, it also means those items that are light for a senior body. For a fit senior health, he/she should consume soft items, and should avoid eating bread, hard cereals, stringy meat etc. Snacks like popco
and chips are hard to consume, must be avoided.

Alternativesr
There are a number of alternatives to hard food items. Some of the good and healthy food items are Oatmeal, soft breads, soft pasta, muffins, pureed bananas and berries etc. Fruit juices are the most filling yet healthy items even people of young age should take. Fruit juices keep your body energized all day long, and protect the body from weakness and other diseases. However, this does not mean you should quit eating grains and proper food; don’t do that.

Vegetable soups are also the best alternative for energetic body. Like kids, even old age people are disgusted eating green and leafy vegetables. But, when given in the form of soup, they consume it easily. If your father-in-law doesn’t like green vegetables, mash them together and serve him a tasty soup without compromising on the healthy food.

How to Cook Soft Food?
In reality, any food can become soft when pureed. This is just one option; don’t try it with every food item. Foods when overcooked also become soft, so try both these options as per the requirement.

Soft Food Ideas for Elderly:
In Breakfast – Cereals or grains in milk and fruit juicer
In Lunch – Liver pate, egg salad, pureed vegetables, baked beans etc.
In Dinner – Buttered noodles, macaroni and cheese, over cooked chicken or gravy etc.
For Desserts – Custards, sponge cake, cookies, pureeing fresh food etc.