What to eat for seniors

No single food provides all the nutrients you need, so it's important to include a wide variety of foods in the diet.

You should try to make sure you are getting the right amount of certain vitamins. The following minerals and vitamins are important in the later years of life.

Calcium

Osteoporosis is a major health issue for older people, particularly women.

This is where bone density reduces and so the risk of fractures increases.

Good sources of calcium are dairy products such as milk, cheese and yoghurt. Choose lower-fat varieties when you can.

Calcium is also found in canned fish with bones, such as sardines.

Other sources of calcium include green leafy vegetables (such as broccoli, cabbage and spinach), soya beans and tofu.

Iron

You should eat plenty of iron-rich foods to help keep up your body's store of iron.

The best source of iron is red meat. It can also be found in:

• pulses (such as peas, beans and lentils)

• oily fish such as sardines

• eggs

• bread

• green vegetables

• breakfast cereals with added vitamins
  

Vitamin C

Foods and drinks rich in vitamin C will help the body absorb iron, so you could have some fruit or vegetables or a glass of fruit juice with an iron-rich meal.

Fruit, especially citrus fruit, green vegetables, peppers, tomatoes and potatoes are all good sources of vitamin C.

Vitamin A

Having too much vitamin A (more than 1.5mg of vitamin A every day, from food or supplements) might increase the risk of bone fracture.

Liver is a rich source of vitamin A, so you should avoid eating liver or liver products such as pâté more than once a week, or you could eat smaller portions.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is an essential vitamin for everyone, to help develop and maintain healthy bones, teeth and muscles.

You get vitamin D from three main sources:

• sunlight

• food

• Vitamin D supplements

During the summer months most people will usually get enough vitamin D from sunlight, so you may choose not to take a supplement over the summer months (late March/ April to the end of September).

If a person is confined indoors for long periods then they will need a daily supplement of ten micrograms of vitamin D because their skin is not exposed to sunlight to make vitamin D.

For older adults, vitamin D with added calcium may be recommended by healthcare staff to protect bone health and guard against osteoporosis.

Potassium

As you get older, your kidneys become less able to remove potassium from your blood.

You should avoid taking potassium supplements unless on medical advice.

Folic acid

Foods containing folic acid help maintain good health in older age.

Good sources are green vegetables and brown rice, as well as bread and breakfast cereals that have vitamins added.