There are so many different foods out there, it can be difficult for seniors to know which ones are actually healthy and which aren’t. There is a healthier food substitute list that can help with this, however. If you share this list with your elderly loved one, it can help to ensure they are eating the healthiest food options and eliminating or limiting unhealthy ones from their diet. If you can’t be around often to help with these substitutes, home care is the best solution for your senior, providing meal preparation, medication reminders, assistance with exercise and other tasks to maintain their health.

Top Foods to Take Out of Their Diet

As noted, there are foods that your elderly loved one should be eating instead of other foods. However, it would be best to first take a look at the foods that they should be avoiding. Some of the foods that your elderly loved one should avoid completely or limit, at the very least, include:

• Salt
• White bread
• Fried food
• Pastries
• Butter
• Sugary drinks
• Red meats
• Potato chips

Does your elderly loved one currently eat a lot of these foods? If so, you don’t necessarily have to get them to stop eating each one of these today. However, your elderly loved one should pick one or two of these options to start avoiding or limiting in their diet as there are tasty alternative foods they can eat instead.

Top Foods to Add Into Their Diet

Now that you have read some of the foods that your elderly loved one should avoid or limit, it would also be a good idea to learn about the foods they need to add into their diet. These foods include the following:

• Herbs and spices
• Whole-grain bread
• Stir-fried foods
• Fresh fruits
• Olive oil
• Sparkling water
• Fish
• Plain popcorn

As you can see from the list above and from this list, these are much healthier substitutes. As noted above, your elderly loved one doesn’t have to add all these into their diet at once. However, if your elderly loved one is removing or limiting potato chips from their diet, eating plain popcorn would be the best, healthiest, and tastiest substitute. Normally, it is said that if someone is taking something out of their diet, they should add something in to replace it, or they will likely go back to eating what they were before, maybe even more of it.

Conclusion

These are some of the top healthier food substitutes your elderly loved one should be eating. As you read above, there is also a list of foods that your elderly loved one should be avoiding, too. If you need more information on how to get your elderly loved one to eat healthier, you can always suggest they see a dietitian. Their doctor may have some more information on a proper diet for your elderly loved one, as well. A home care provider can help implement any diet changes your senior needs, along with providing companionship while eating and grocery shopping in advance. Consider the many benefits of home care for your senior today.

Sources
https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/eat/shop_lcal_fat.htm

If You Or An Aging Loved One Are Considering Hiring Home Care in Seminole, FL, Please Contact The Caring Staff At Assisting Hands Home Care Today! 727-748-4211.