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Diet Options for Older Adults
There are countless diet options of older adults available in the US today. It is important that you weigh your options and decide on a dietary system that suits you best. Some diets are promoted by manufacturers of specific "weight loss products," and more often than not they are harmful for your health.
For example if you want to go for a liquid diet, you might be tempted to take a short cut by going for certain "diet drinks" that are sold over the counter. These products assure the required amount of essential nutrients every day, but dietitians have their doubts. These diet drinks ask you to take only one "real meal" in a day. As a result, you could fall short of the required amount of fiber and calories that are required to keep you fit. Also, the products do not contain all the disease-preventing phytonutrients* found naturally in food. These liquids and bars might promise to be perfect substitutes for your regular meals, but dietitians beg to differ.
*Phytonutrients are organic components of plants that are thought to promote human health. If yo want to know more about phyonutrients, we suggest that you visit http://www.ars.usda.gov/Aboutus/docs.htm?docid=4142.
There are different diet options for seniors, which you may wish to try. Some of them are:
- The Metabolic Typing Diet for Seniors
- TOPS Diet for Seniors
- Volumetrics for Seniors
- Low Fat Diets for Seniors
While choosing a diet, you need to check if it allows intake of all the essential nutrients from all the food groups mentioned in the "Food Pyramid." Also, remember to put in at least 150 minutes of physical activity every week. A balanced and reasonable diet along with the right kind of exercise should see you losing those extra pounds in no time—and that too, without compromising on your health. If you want to keep a check on the amount of calorie intake everyday, use the "Calorie Counter" in the "Healthy Living" section of the website of Mayo Clinic. In fact it may be a good idea to look up the advice that they have provided in their "Food and Nutrition" section. Also, the Food and Drugs Administration offers "good-to-know" information on food and nutrition, at the FDA website.
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