Last week, the revamped MyPlate for Older Adults icon was unveiled at a Capitol Hill luncheon featuring healthy foods straight from the plate. As the audience dined on lean fish or poultry, berries, grains and leafy greens, the panel — including a congressman, a senior USDA scientist and the head of the AARP Foundation — talked about good nutrition for seniors. MyPlate for Older Adults is based on the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Most guidelines apply to adults of any age, while the new MyPlate offers adjustments to meet the needs of older Americans.
[See: Dietary Guidelines Do-Over.]
Here are the highlights of a healthy plate:
— Fruits and veggies dominate. Fruits and vegetables fill nearly half of the retooled MyPlate. Dark, leafy vegetables are particularly rich in nutrients, said panelist Alice Lichtenstein, the vice chair of the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee. And plant-based foods are an important source of fiber.
— Colorful choices are healthy. Whole fruits and vegetables with deeply colored flesh are best. Berries, which may protect aging brains, are part of the MyPlate picture.
— Frozen and canned foods are fine. For seniors, canned and frozen foods can be convenient alternatives. They last longer than fresh produce and may simplify portion control. Choose canned goods packed in their own juices or in low-sodium varieties, MyPlate recommends. “Frozen vegetables have equivalent nutrient quality to fresh, but you can get them in bags and just snip them open and pour them out,” Lichtenstein said. “So you can minimize waste, which is important to older adults.”
— Calories matter. As people get older, their need for energy from food — which means calories — decreases, said Lichtenstein, who is head of the Cardiovascular Nutrition Laboratory at the USDA Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University. So strategic food choices include getting more nutrition from fewer calories.
— Salt is off the table. Diners at the congressional event looked for salt shakers in vain. That was a deliberate omission, of course. “As we grow older, our taste buds change,” said panelist Lisa Marsh Ryerson, president of the AARP Foundation. “But salt is problematic to our diet and is linked to chronic disease.”
— Herbs and spices boost flavor. Who needs salt? A wide variety of herbs enhance the flavor of foods without bumping up blood pressure, panelists pointed out.
— Healthy oils for healthy fat. Liquid vegetables oils and soft margarine fill the center MyPlate circle. That’s because they provide an important source of fatty acids and some fat-soluble vitamins.
— Don’t forget fluids. Water, tea, coffee, soups and even fruits and vegetables provide essential fluid. There can be a disconnect between thirst and hydration, Lichtenstein said. “When we’re younger, we pretty much get thirsty when we need fluid,” she said. “When we get older, that’s not always the case.”
— Protein comes in many sources. Nuts, beans, fish, lean meat and eggs all provide protein. MyPlate recommends choosing a variety of sources, including certain dairy products.
— Dairy has a place. Milk, cheeses and yogurts contain calcium, protein and other nutrients. The key is choosing fat-free or low-fat versions, according to MyPlate.
— Grains give fiber. Whole grains, such as pasta and bread, and fortified foods including cereal provide dietary fiber and B vitamins. “For older adults, there’s more emphasis on grains — especially whole grains,” Lichtenstein says.
— The “active” ingredient. To emphasize the importance of regular exercise for seniors, physical activity is incorporated in the “placemat” section of the new MyPlate, with symbols of walking, biking and swimming.
[See: 7 Reasons to Choose a Plant-Based Diet.]
Food Access and Security
Getting the right mix of food groups is important, but that isn’t enough, panelists noted. If healthy food isn’t accessible and affordable, all the recommendations in the world won’t help older adults eat better.
“More than 10 million older adults are food-insecure in our nation,” Ryerson said. “That means they do not know where their next meal is coming from , and they do not know where that meal will come from over time.”
Featured speaker Rep. Jim McGovern, D.-Mass., chair of the House Hunger Caucus, talked about some of the barriers experienced by seniors. “We should be especially concerned about this vulnerable group,” he said. “Because they face so many challenges, from financial and mobility and accessibility to services , when it comes to their health.”
McGovern discussed the gap between good intentions and effective solutions. “You’re not going to encounter anyone up here on Capitol Hill who’s pro-hunger or pro-bad nutrition or pro-having seniors go without access to nutritious food,” he said. “But the rhetoric doesn’t always match the actions.” He called on his congressional colleagues to protect resources to help low-income seniors, like the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as food stamps or SNAP.
[See: 7 Ways to Get Calcium Beyond Milk.]
Panelist Bob Blancato, executive director of the National Association of Nutrition and Aging Services Programs, praised the bipartisan Older Americans Act Reauthorization Act of 2016, signed into law by President Barack Obama in April. The nutrition program is a key element of the OAA, Blancato said, because it addresses food-delivery services like Meals on Wheels and free congregate (or group) meals offered at community settings including senior centers. The latest reauthorization made additions such as encouraging and incorporating greater use of fruits and vegetables in food plans and using the services of registered dietitians in the nutrition program.
More from U.S. News
9 Foods That Can Keep Your Brain Sharp
The 12 Best Diets for Your Heart
Osteoarthritis and Activity: Walking It Out
MyPlate for Older Adults Adjusts Eating Guidelines originally appeared on usnews.com
