Author: dwardell

Corn on the Cob

Glistening, sweet and fresh, corn on the cob is a side dish worthy of its place on a paper plate. Save a spot for it on your grill this season. Or, be daring and cook it nestled in the coals with the husks still on. Whatever cooking method you choose, corn on the cob slathered in butter is as close as you’ll ever get to tasting sunshine in its own convenient carrying case.

Fresh Fruit

Feasting on sun-kissed fruits served at their peak of freshness is one of the perks of summer dining. You may love chilled half crescents of watermelon, chocolate dipped strawberries, fresh picked blackberries or those first-of-the-season cherries. Whatever your fruit fix of choice happens to be, wash it thoroughly in cold water before you indulge.

Why not try a pick-your-own fruit outing this year? Your family will come away with plenty of fruit and a better appreciation for local farming and agriculture.

Gazpacho

Chilled summer soup is a refreshing option with a sandwich. You eat salad vegetables right out of the fridge; why not go for a flavor-packed refrigerated soup, too? With a few fresh veggies and a food processor, you can create a memorable meal with Latin flare that doesn’t contain fat or a lot of sodium. Gazpacho thickened with bread crumbs (the Portuguese way) has a nice broth, and the tomatoes and cucumbers give it just-picked goodness. It’s full of nutrients, easy to make and low in calories. What’s not to like?

Older adults may have a difficult time consuming adequate nutrition due to decreased absorption efficiency or high cost of healthy foods. Therefore, seniors are at an increased risk for malnutrition, which can decrease their quality of life. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, up to 60 percent of home-care elderly patients are malnourished or at risk for becoming malnourished. Inexpensive, soft, easy-to-prepare breakfast foods are ideal for seniors.

Eggs – Eggs make an excellent breakfast food for seniors. A review published in a 2008 issue of “Clinical Nutrition” found that elderly adults may require up to 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, or about 0.68 grams of protein per pound, each day, which is almost two times higher than the current protein RDA. Another review published in a 2004 issue of the “Journal of the American College of Nutrition” reports that eggs are ideal for older adults because they are high in protein, easy to prepare and inexpensive. This review also reports that later in life, high blood cholesterol decreases as a risk for heart disease. Seniors who have high cholesterol or heart disease should choose egg whites instead of whole eggs, especially if they consume more than four eggs per week.

Oatmeal – Oatmeal is an excellent breakfast food for seniors because it is fairly inexpensive, easy to chew, easy to prepare, nutrient dense and high in fiber. The National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse reports that low-fiber diets are a main cause of constipation in older adults. The Institute of Medicine encourages adult men ages 50 and older to consume at least 30 grams of fiber and women ages 50 and older to consume at least 21 grams of fiber each day. One packet of regular instant oatmeal provides about 4 grams of fiber.

Soft Fresh Fruits – Fresh fruits are excellent sources of dietary fiber and vitamins for seniors. Soft fresh fruits that are easy to chew and swallow include blueberries, bananas, plums, fresh peaches and kiwi fruit. Sprinkle sliced soft fruits on top of regular oatmeal or breakfast cereal prepared with low-fat milk or soy milk.

Smoothies – High-protein smoothies make a quick breakfast for seniors, don’t require chewing and are easy to prepare using a blender. Ingredients commonly used in breakfast protein smoothies include low-fat milk or soy milk, low-fat yogurt or soy yogurt, soft fruits and peanut butter, almond butter or cashew butter.

The days are getting warmer and longer, inspiring people to engage in backyard barbecues, and midday picnics.

Even if your elderly loved one isn’t able to take part in traditions like cookouts, or holiday parties, you can introduce seasonal celebrations into their lives through food. Many popular warm-weather foods even offer the added bonus of helping a senior get the nutrients they need to remain healthy.

Here are some popular spring and summer treats that may offer some unexpected health benefits for you and your elderly loved one. Ruth Frechman, M.A., a registered dietician and spokeswoman for the American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, offers her perspective on how these foods can be both tasty and nutritious for seniors.

Barbecue Basics

Watermelon: Synonymous with summer, this juicy fruit is not only low-fat, it also contains a staggering amount of nutrients seniors need. Pound for pound, watermelon has more lycopene than any other fresh fruit or veggie. Also found in tomatoes, lycopene is an antioxidant that has been shown to combat certain forms of cancer and heart disease. Watermelon is also packed with potassium, which can be a boon for seniors suffering from potassium deficiency, or hypokalemia. According to the National Institutes for Health, hypokalemia in seniors can sometimes be brought on by certain heart failure and blood pressure meds, and can cause problems with heart and muscle function. Watermelon also contains significant amounts of vitamins A, C, and B6.

Iceberg lettuce: Don’t forgo a spring salad just because it has romaine lettuce in it. Oft-maligned as the less-healthy relative of spinach and romaine lettuce, iceberg lettuce actually has more of the antioxidant alpha-carotene than either of them. Alpha-carotene (and its companion, beta-carotene) can be transformed by the body into vitamin A, which can help maintain good eye health. Research has shown that alpha-carotene, on its own, may also play a role in lowering a person’s risk of dying from ailments such as cancer and cardiovascular disease. Iceberg lettuce also has a good deal of vitamin K, which can help combat osteoporosis and regulate blood clotting. Frechman says that, because the amount of alpha-carotene in iceberg lettuce is relatively low compared to other veggies, so you may want to add some carrots, tomatoes, and spinach to a salad to boost its overall carotene content.

Spices: Seasoned sauces and rubs are the cornerstones of a delicious warm weather cook-out. Spices can serve the dual purpose of making food more flavorful to seniors whose ability to taste has been diminished, as well as helping them fight off disease. From turmeric, whose primary compound, curcumin has been shown to be beneficial in fighting off diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and cancer; to cinnamon, which can help people with type 2 diabetes by lowering their blood sugar, total cholesterol, and triglycerides, spices have numerous potential health benefits.

Scrumptious Snack Foods

Popcorn: Going the movies to see a popular summer flick can be a simple, fun way for caregivers and their elderly loved ones to get out of the house. Popcorn has been a cinema staple for years, and often gets a bad rap for being unhealthy. But, if you forgo the extra salt and butter, recent research indicates that popcorn may actually have health benefits. Researchers found polyphenols—a group of beneficial antioxidants—to be more plentiful in popcorn than certain fruits and veggies. Popcorn is also a pure source of whole grain, an important dietary element for seniors.

Party dip: Perennial components of popular party dips, tomatoes and avocados can offer seniors an array of healthy nutrients. Salsa comprised of tomatoes and other vegetables can provide an elderly person with part of their daily recommended vegetable intake, as well as antioxidants such as lycopene. Though they are high in (“good”) fat, avocados, the main component of guacamole, are full of vitamins and minerals that can deliver a host of health benefits to seniors.