Diabetic Cooking For Seniors
About half of all people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes are over age 60. Past 65, almost 1 in 5 seniors is diabetic. The rate is even higher among high-risk groups, such as older Hispanics and African Americans.
Unfortunately, many diabetic seniors don’t follow a healthy diet because they experience:
- Reduced appetites
- Declining metabolisms
- Limited mobility
- The side effects of medication
The Challenges of Diabetic Cooking for Seniors
As you can see, there are many challenges of diabetic cooking for seniors:
Problem: As a general rule, seniors tend to eat less, so they run the risk of becoming malnourished.
Solution: One of the best diabetic senior cooking tips is to choose nutrient-dense foods (i.e., foods with lots of nutritional “bang for their buck,” such as peanut butter, soup beans, lean poultry and low-fat yogurt). Eating whole, natural, fresh foods are the best way to get nutrient-rich substances in the diet.
Problem: Diabetic seniors don’t always get enough fiber in their diet, which can help control the release of glucose from foods while helping with digestive movement.
Solution: Senior diabetic cooking should include plenty of soluble fiber, which is found in fruits, vegetables and some seeds, to slow down or reduce the absorption of glucose from the intestines. Legumes, such as cooked kidney beans, are among the highest soluble fiber foods. Insoluble fibers, found in bran, whole grains and nuts, act as intestinal scrubbers by cleaning out the lower gastrointestinal tract.
Problem: Senior diabetics often don’t eat regularly throughout the day. Sometimes they simply don’t feel up to cooking.
Solution: Another key to senior diabetic cooking is to make meals more like snacks, and eat them regularly. Keep snacks readily available and munch on them throughout the day. Have your favorite vegetable ready in bite-size pieces (baby carrots, sliced apples with peanut butter, string cheese, nuts, low-fat mozzarella with whole wheat crackers, cottage cheese and pineapple chunks, ice cream, etc.).
Problem: Seniors’ senses of taste and smell diminish, sometimes causing a loss of appetite and interest in food. Other seniors use unhealthy amounts of salt when seasoning their food to compensate for the lack of taste.
Solution: Diabetic cooking for seniors should include the use of fresh herbs and tasty spices. Splash on the olive oil and vinegars, and try sprinkling in garlic, onions and spices, including cinnamon, cloves, ginger and turmeric (which also aid digestion) instead of salt.
Problem: Senior diabetics often fall into the habit of using “convenience foods” — packaged and processed foods that are easier to prepare but are often loaded with saturated fat and salt. This can increase the risks of heart disease, cancer and high blood pressure.
Solution: Of all the diabetic senior cooking tips, this is probably the most important (and, actually, easy to implement): Choose and use “whole” foods. These are, quite simply, unprocessed foods — fresh vegetables and fruits, whole grain breads, low-fat cheese and milk, and lean cuts of meat, fish and poultry. Try to cut out prepared, pre-mixed foods like stovetop dinners. At the store, reach for the least-processed version of any food.
Regular Testing is Crucial
Finally, remember that regular blood glucose testing is a crucial step in enjoying a good quality of life and reducing diabetes complications. With regular testing at home, diabetic seniors can make smart choices about managing their diabetes. For example, you can decide when and how much medicine to take, when to exercise and when to eat meals or snacks.
Tags: diabetic cooking for seniors, diabetic senior cooking tips, senior diabetic cooking
