Nutrition for older people
•Energy (calories)
•The major nutrients
•Protein – dispelling the ‘protein myth’
•Fat – omega-3 for vegetarians/vegans
•Fibre
•Vitamins and minerals to take care about in a care
setting
Protein
A comparison of the protein content of meat and vegetarian foods
Meat product
Protein content
in grams
Vegetarian food
Small beef burger
10.2
Baked beans, ½ can
Three fish sticks
12.1
Pasta, average
serving
8.5
Kidney beans,
average serving
12.4
Peanuts, small
packet
6.1
Protein content in
grams
11.5
Fat: omega-3
Older people of all ages need omega-3 fat
in their diet.
Of course vegetarians don’t eat fish or fish
oils so they can’t get omega-3 from them.
Omega-3 fat – why?
•Protection against heart disease (important for
people who’ve had a heart attack).
•Can relieve rheumatoid arthritis (swollen and
tender joints, grip strength and mobility).
Omega-3 fat – why?
•Eye health
•Preventing mental decline
•Immune function
Omega-3 fat – where?
Omega-3 fats
1 daily portion is...
Flaxseed (linseed) oil
1 teaspoon
Ground flaxseeds (linseeds)
1½ tablespoons
Hempseed oil
1 tablespoon
Rapeseed (vegetable) oil
1½ tablespoons
Walnuts
8 halves/28g/1oz
Hempseed
5 tablespoons
Fibre
Can help to prevent:
-constipation
- heart disease
-diabetes
- some cancers
But if people have a poor appetite, bulky foods can
stop them getting all the nutrients they need.
Fibre
Good sources are wholegrain foods: wholemeal
bread, pasta and cereals, brown rice, peas, beans
and lentils, and fruits and vegetables.
Shouldn’t need extra bran.
Vitamins and minerals
Older people are less able to digest, absorb, use
and excrete vitamins and minerals.
According to a national survey, older people living in
institutions may have low intakes or low blood
levels of certain vitamins and minerals.
National Diet and Nutrition Survey
Nutrient deficiency (or excess)
% of older people in
institutions affected
Iron deficiency
40%
Vitamin C deficiency
41%
Vitamin B1 (thiamin) deficiency
14%
Folate deficiency
10%
Vitamin B12 deficiency
9%
Vitamin D deficiency
37%
Vitamin A (retinol) EXCESS
2 to 3%
National Diet and Nutrition Survey
Iron-rich foods
Good sources for vegetarians/vegans
•Fortified breakfast cereals, especially bran flakes
(contain 3 times more iron than anything else on this
list – see chart that follows)
Iron-rich foods
Good sources for vegetarians/vegans
•Grains: wholemeal bread, spaghetti
•Pulses (peas, beans – including tofu, and lentils)
•Figs – just 3 dried figs supply 29% of daily iron
•Eggs (not for vegans)
•Green veg, especially curly kale
Vitamin C rich foods
Vitamin C is the most common deficiency seen in
institutionalised adults (41%).
Also, vitamin C helps the body absorb iron. Fresh
fruit juice or a starter containing citrus fruits is a good
way to ensure iron from foods is absorbed well.
Vitamin C rich foods
Good sources of vitamin C are:
•Citrus fruits
•Green vegetables
•Peppers
•Tomatoes
•Potatoes (just under the skin)
B vitamins: B1 (thiamin) and folate
B vitamins are water soluble which means they are
not stored for long in the body. So try to include
some of these foods every day.
Diets containing too little B vitamins can lead to
multiple deficiencies within a few months.
B vitamins: thiamin & folate
•B1
•Found in wholegrain cereals, nuts,
seeds and pulses (peas, all types
of beans, including soya, and
lentils)
•Folate
•Found in green vegetables,
especially broccoli, oranges, nuts,
wholegrain cereals
B vitamins: vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is needed every day. Vegetarians get
B12 from free-range eggs and dairy.
Vegans get it from B12-fortified foods, such as
breakfast cereals, margarines, nutritional yeast (e.g.
Marmite) and soya milk.
B12 from fortified foods is better absorbed than the
B12 from meat, poultry and fish.
Vitamin A
Comes in two forms
•Pre-formed (retinol) – from animal foods.
•So-called ‘pro-vitamin’ form (carotenoids). Over 700
of these, including beta-carotene and lycopene (the
protective pigment in tomato ketchup!)
Vitamin A
•Carotenoids are found in red, yellow and orange
fruits and vegetables (carrots, tomatoes, peaches
and apricots).
•And also in green leafy veg: watercress, rocket,
spinach and cabbage.
Vitamin A
Hazards of excess
As we’ve seen in the survey, 2-3% of older people
living in institutions get too much pre-formed
vitamin A (retinol) – found in animal products. Egg
yolks, butter, milk, liver and fish oils are rich sources.
Deficiency is rare. But too much can increase risk
of osteoporosis and hip fractures.
Calcium rich foods
Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body
and essential to keep bones and teeth strong.
Calcium rich foods
Good sources for vegetarians are:
•Milk, cheese, yoghurt
•Fortified non-dairy versions of the above (for
vegans)
•Almonds and sesame seed paste (tahini)
•Green leafy vegetables (not spinach)
•Broccoli
•Soya beans (edamame)
•Tofu (made with soya beans)
Vitamin D
Like calcium, vitamin D is important for good bone health.
We get most of our vitamin D from summer sunlight on our skin which
is converted into vitamin D.
Vitamin D
But good dietary sources for vegetarians are milk, free-range eggs
and fortified cereals and margarines.
Dairy-free milks and margarines (such as the ‘Pure’ brand) are
fortified with vitamin D and are suitable for vegans.
Older people who do not get outside much are advised to take a
vitamin D supplement.