Many countries in the world have dietary pyramids to guide people's diets. In fact, the elderly also have a dietary pyramid that suits them. For more than 21 years, nutritionists have constantly updated their knowledge. In recent years, researchers at TOEFL University in the United States have revised and supplemented the dietary pyramid of the elderly over 71 years old.

The bottom of the original dietary pyramid consists of the largest share of cereals, including corn, rice, bread and noodles. At present, the base of the dietary pyramid consists of 8 shares of water, juice or soup, and compared with the upper layer where cereal grains only account for 6 shares, the position of water is more important. Because the physiological characteristics of the elderly are that even if they are thirsty, their demand for water is not as obvious as that of young people, and they often have the danger of water shortage in their bodies. The new dietary pyramid emphasizes that the elderly should drink more water to prevent constipation and lack of water in the body.

sufficient special nutrients. The activity and cannibalism of the elderly are decreasing day by day. In order to maintain the weight and health of the elderly, the dietary pyramid strictly requires that sufficient special nutrients, such as antioxidants, must be provided every day to prevent free radical damage accompanying the elderly. Provide enough vitamin d and calcium to protect the health of bones; Provide abundant folic acid to maintain mental activity and reduce the occurrence of stroke and heart disease. The dietary pyramid also reminds the elderly to pay attention to foods with high nutritional density, mainly referring to vegetables and fruits, such as spinach, oranges, yellow sweet potatoes and pumpkins, and brightly colored fruits. Fruits often contain a lot of vitamin A, vitamin C and folic acid, such as strawberries and mangoes.

high fiber intake. In the new dietary pyramid, almost every layer is added with the symbolic symbol of cellulose as much as possible. Eat more whole grains, choose brown rice instead of polished rice, eat more carrots and oranges instead of carrot juice and orange juice, eat legumes at least twice a week, and replace meat with soybeans and lentils. Because most of the elderly have the problem of declining intestinal function, these high-fiber foods also contain low cholesterol, thus reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases and cancer in the elderly.

some nutrients need extra supplementation. A small flag was erected at the tip of the new dietary pyramid as a reminder. Because the metabolic function of the elderly body is weakened, it affects the intake and absorption of some nutrients necessary for the elderly, so it is essential for the elderly to supplement some nutrients needed by the body. For example, calcium and vitamin D supplements are necessary to prevent osteoporosis. Vitamin B12 supplementation can help the body maintain normal neurological function and reduce the occurrence of senile dementia. 1/3 of the elderly will gradually develop atrophic gastritis and decrease the secretion of gastric acid and pepsin, which will lead to a decrease in the absorption of vitamin B12 in food, while pure vitamin B12 supplements can be well absorbed. However, most nutritionists believe that vitamin supplementation cannot replace the choice of healthy food. For example, a glass of milk a day is the best source of calcium, potassium and vitamin B12.

Like the traditional dietary pyramid, the top part of the pyramid is the intake of fat, oil and sweets, such as cakes, biscuits, fast food and various snacks, which have the smallest share and advocate restriction. These foods are high in calories but low in nutrients, so the elderly should not eat more. Protein's supply should pay attention to mutual collocation, such as cereals, beans, lean meat and egg-laying poultry, so as to reduce the intake of saturated fat and cholesterol and achieve a balanced diet.

In addition to following the dietary pyramid principle, the elderly should pay special attention to the following 11 aspects:

1. The food should be fragrant

The elderly have poor taste and appetite, and they often feel that they are short of food. Therefore, cooking for the elderly should pay attention to color, fragrance and taste.

2. The quality is better

The metabolism in the elderly is mainly catabolism, and more protein is needed to compensate for the consumption of tissue protein. If you eat more chicken, fish, rabbit, mutton, beef, lean pork and bean products, the protein contained in these foods is high-quality protein, rich in nutrition and easy to digest.

3. The quantity should be small

Research shows that overeating is harmful to health, and it is appropriate for the elderly to be full at seven or eight points per meal, especially at dinner.

4. More vegetables

Fresh vegetables are healthy friends of the elderly. They are not only rich in vitamin C and minerals, but also contain more cellulose, which plays an important role in protecting cardiovascular system, preventing cancer and constipation. The daily intake of vegetables should be no less than 251g.

5. Foods should be miscellaneous

protein, fat, sugar, vitamins, minerals and water are six essential nutrients for human body, which are widely found in various foods. In order to absorb nutrients in a balanced way and keep healthy, we should eat a little of all kinds of food. If possible, we should ensure about ten kinds of main and non-staple foods every day.

6. The dishes should be light

Some elderly people are heavy, but they don't know that eating too much salt will increase the burden on the heart and kidneys, which will easily lead to an increase in blood pressure. For the sake of health, the elderly should generally eat 6 ~ 8 grams of salt every day.

7. The food is rotten

The teeth of the elderly are often loose and fall off, the masticatory muscles are weakened, the secretion of digestive juice and digestive enzymes is reduced, and the gastrointestinal digestive function is reduced. Therefore, the food should be made soft and rotten.

8. Fruits should be eaten

All kinds of fruits are rich in water-soluble vitamins and metal trace elements, which play a great role in maintaining the acid-base balance of body fluids. To keep healthy, you should eat some fruit after every meal.

9. Eat hot food

The elderly have poor resistance to cold. If they eat cold food, the blood vessels in the stomach wall will contract and the blood supply will decrease, and the blood circulation of other viscera will decrease reflexively, which is not good for their health. Therefore, the diet of the elderly should be a little hotter, and it is advisable to eat palatably.

11. Eat slowly

Some old people are used to eating fast food, and swallowing it if they don't chew it completely will be harmful to their health over time. Chew slowly to reduce gastrointestinal burden and promote digestion. In addition, eating slowly is also easy to feel full, preventing overeating and affecting your health.