VISITING ANGELS FT WORTH, TX 817-877-1616
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How to Consume Nutrition When a Senior Has No Appetite

Vegetables on cutting boardNutrition is important, no matter your age. Consuming essential vitamins and minerals boosts our immune system, fuels our bodies, and helps our entire system function properly. If you are a senior, you are probably already aware that your body doesn’t need as many calories as it once did. Eating more than what our bodies need to convert to energy leads to unwanted weight gain.

In addition to a slower metabolism, seniors experience changes in their taste buds over time. Somewhere between the ages of 40 and 50, our taste buds decrease in number and shrink in size. By age 60, many older adults lose the ability to distinguish between specific tastes, such as sweet, salty, sour, and bitter. This explains why many seniors over-season their plates with salt or indulge in too many sweets, because it takes more salt or sweet for them to feel satisfied.

A decrease in taste is one reason why some seniors struggle to work up an appetite. Other reasons include a slower metabolism, side effects of medications, a loss of interest in preparing food, feelings of depression or deep sadness, or cognitive impairment. Loneliness too can be a contributing factor to a low appetite because meals are such a social aspect of life. So how can seniors ensure they consume proper nutrition when they have little to no appetite? Here are four ideas to help seniors who are struggling with a low appetite consume the key nutrients their bodies crave.

Drink Up

Get the nutrition you need by consuming a nutrient-packed smoothie. Smoothies make great meal replacements and can contain just as many calories as a regular meal. You can also hide a lot of vegetables in a smoothie, such as kale, spinach, or cucumber. You can purchase frozen fruits and vegetables at the store, making it extremely easy to blend up a nutritious and delicious smoothie. Add a little protein powder for a bigger nutrition boost. There is a plethora of smoothie recipes available, either on the internet or in a smoothie recipe book. Try experimenting with different flavors and combinations until you’ve found what tastes best to you.

Prepare Ready-Made Snacks

Help boost your appetite by preparing ready-made nutritious snacks that you can grab as you feel hungry. Entice your appetite with colorful fruits and vegetables. Leave healthy snacks on your counter, or place sliced fruits and vegetables at eye level in your refrigerator. Seeing colorful, healthy foods is a great way to boost your appetite. Seniors with cognitive impairment especially need visual cues to prompt them to eat.

Consume Smaller, More Frequent Meals

Many seniors can feel overwhelmed when a large plate of food is set before them. Instead of picking at a large plate of food, try consuming smaller meals more frequently throughout the day. Your meals may not look like a typical breakfast, lunch, or dinner meal, and that’s okay. You may start the day with a banana and end the day with yogurt and granola. What’s most important is that you’ve consumed essential nutrients throughout the entire day.

Spice It Up

Finally, add flavor and appeal to the foods you consume with spices and herbs. Think beyond salt. Experiment with ginger, garlic, cinnamon, turmeric, or, for those who enjoy a little heat, cayenne pepper. Sprinkle a little spice over foods that lack flavor for you, including fresh fruits and vegetables. Along with spice, you can add more flavor to your bites through dips or sauces. Choose dips that appeal to your palate and contain healthy nutrients, such as hummus, guacamole, pesto, or almond butter.

If you are a senior who struggles with a low appetite, know that Visiting Angels Fort Worth is here to help. We provide meal planning and preparation as one of our senior home care services. Our caregivers can work with you to create a menu that is appealing to you. We can then escort you to the store so you can select your preferred foods, or we can do the shopping for you. Our caregivers can then work alongside you in the kitchen and help prepare nutritiously packed snacks and meals that you can have on hand throughout the week. Getting started is easy. Simply contact us today by calling 817-877-1616.

Serving Fort Worth and the Surrounding Areas

Visiting Angels FT WORTH, TX
930 W 1st St # 203
Ft Worth, TX 76102
Phone: 817-877-1616
Fax: 817-334-7994

Serving Fort Worth and the Surrounding Areas

Visiting Angels FT WORTH, TX
930 W 1st St # 203
Ft Worth, TX 76102
Phone: 817-877-1616
Fax: 817-334-7994