Protein For Old Age — How to Add More Protein To Seniors’ Diet

It is very common to associate protein-rich foods with either bodybuilding or weight loss. A common misconception is that as we age our body requires fewer proteins as they are difficult to digest. You may be surprised to know that, on the contrary, protein for old age is as important as it is for any other age group. However, this age group often remains deficient in their protein intake leading to several health issues. 

In this article, we will try to understand the importance of protein for old age and how we can incorporate high protein foods for elderly in their daily diet.

Why is Protein for Elderly Needed?

We need to ensure high protein foods for elderly with as much diligence as we do for everyone else in the family because of the following reasons:

• Our bodies at all ages rely upon protein for basic functioning. 
• Seniors need a protein-rich diet in order to maintain their muscle and bone strength.
• Proteins are the building blocks of our body and are hence required for tissue regeneration, repair, and muscle build-up.
• As the body starts to age protein is required to help it maintain balance and agility.
• A high protein diet for elderly helps build their resilience to diseases and ageing
• Proteins help seniors heal faster from surgery, inflammation, and injury.
• Seniors who regularly consume protein powder for old age or are conscious of consuming protein-rich foods usually have better hair, skin, nails, and muscle strength.
• A good protein intake helps maintain a healthy vision for a longer time.
• Proteins play a vital role in maintaining hormonal balance and digestive health.
• High protein foods for elderly also help to balance the level of their body fluids and keep them in check.

Do We Need More Protein Food For Old Age?

It is a fact, confirmed through multiple studies that with age we find it difficult to utilise proteins as we can in our youth. But our body’s nutritional needs change with age. As our body gets old our muscle mass decreases, but muscles are what need maximum protein to function. That is why it is so common to see elderly finding difficulty in movement. Even lifting things and walking becomes a problem in old age due to poor muscle strength and low muscle mass.

Also, as we age our nutritional reserves go down and the body cannot cope up with a nutritonally imbalanced diet. Hence, seniors need high protein food for old age issues and to meet their bodies’ needs.

Protein For Old Age — How Much is Needed?

Most dietary and health bodies recommend that proteins should form 10%-35% of the total calorie intake. Therefore, if we eat 2000 calories a day we need at least 100gm of protein. 

However, when it comes to intake of protein for old age, this may be a very low amount. When one sets a high protein diet for elderly it is vital to follow a basic thumb rule of ensuring 1.0-1.3 gm protein per kg of body weight. Therefore a senior weighing 60kgs would need 60-75gm protein every day. 

How to source the protein for elderly?

To set a high protein diet for elderly it is vital to know which all sources of protein you can use based on their diet preferences. Here is a general idea:

• Animal sources of protein – chicken, eggs, milk, etc
• Plant sources of protein – peas, cheese, pulses etc
• Seafood sources of protein – fish, prawns, crab etc
• Supplements – protein powder for senior citizens from a brand of your choice

How to ensure a high protein diet for elderly?

To ensure that your elders are getting adequate protein in their diet, it is vital to formulate a diet plan with an adequate amount of protein food for old age to meet the daily requirement in every meal. 

Here are some guidelines to follow:

• Understand and calculate the daily protein requirement as per age.
• List out the high protein foods for elderly that the seniors in your care would eat happily.
• Calculate the quantity of each that can be given in one serving and work out the number of servings for each meal and accordingly for the whole day as well. 
• Carefully replace one source of carbohydrates with a high protein food in each meal. 

Now you are ready to start!

Ideas to incorporate high protein foods for elderly in their daily diet

High protein diet for elderly – Breakfast Ideas

Most elderly lack protein in their breakfast. Here’s what you can do:

• Opt for breakfast cereal and top it with nuts and seeds such as flaxseed, hemp seed, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds.
• Add an egg to the breakfast menu. You can try oats egg recipes or simply a boiled egg with anything on the side. For vegetarians, tofu or paneer slices slightly braised on the pan work well. 
• You can also try adding greek yoghurt with nuts and seeds. Flavour it with fruits for a delicious twist.
• If you want to eat bread, team it with nut butter and spreads like cashew butter, almond butter or peanut butter. Opt for the varieties without sugar. Nut butter can be added to shakes and oats as well. 
• Try adding protein shakes to the menu. You can use specially formulated protein powder for elderly. It can be plant protein-based or animal protein-based, both work well. Simply add your choice of protein powder for senior citizens to milk, water, tea or juice to make a delicious drink.   

High protein diet for elderly – Lunch Ideas

To add protein to lunch for elderlies here are some ideas to try:

• Salads are a great option to add protein foods to. You can make scrambled egg salad, or salads with nuts and seeds, chicken salad, cottage cheese salads and more. You can also sprinkle protein powder for elderly on chopped salads for best results.
• Try replacing carbs with protein by using salami rolls or meat rolls to make delicious wraps filled with veggies. 
• When serving rice, top it with egg or boiled chicken. Add paneer chunks or soy chunks to a vegetarian biryani or pulao. Be generous with the proteins and restrict the carbs. 
• Beans are a great source of protein, you can use them generously in mixed veggies and rice or pastas. 

High protein diet for elderly – Dinner Ideas

• Seniors who find it difficult to chew on tough textured foods like meats and chicken can enjoy their meals with chicken soups and stews. Add pureed veggies and beans to the mix for great nourishment. 
• Daals in dinner are a staple in Indian cuisine and are a rich source of protein. 
• When opting for meat keep the portion size restricted and opt for lean meats. Grilled or roasted options always work best when selecting high protein foods for elderly. 
• Team your paneer or meat with veggies like beans and capsicum. You can sprinkle some grated cheese on it for added taste and nourishment.  
• Fish is a highly nourishing yet light on stomach option of protein for elderly in dinner.
• At the same time, tofu stir-fried with beans and mushrooms work equally well for an adequate share of proteins. 

High protein diet for elderly – Dinner Ideas

Elderly are often suggested shorter meals and snacks to keep issues like acidity at bay. Grilled fish, cheese, nuts and seeds, pan seared paneer pieces make for some good snacks with a cup of green tea. 
Try these little changes in the daily intake of the seniors around you to create a high protein diet for elderly that is healthy and tasteful. Any further scope can be managed through quality supplements like protein powder for elderly, which make for healthy drinks.