What is the best nutritional meal replacement for the elderly?

At present, from the perspective of comprehensive nutritional density and adaptability to the physiological characteristics of the elderly, priority is given to low-GI fully nutritional formulas that are added with high-quality animal protein and fortified with key nutrients such as calcium, vitamin D, and B complex. Elderly people with dysphagia should also choose special formulas that have been homogenized and thickened. It is not recommended to give the elderly ordinary meal replacements from internet celebrities that focus on fat loss and weight loss.

A while ago, I accompanied a nutritionist from a community hospital for a follow-up visit. I met Aunt Li, who lives in Building 3. I heard a live broadcast promotion and bought two boxes of fat-reducing meal replacement for young people. It was said that it was cheap and could provide laxatives. After eating it for almost a month, the not-fat person lost four kilograms and his legs became weak at all times. A blood test found that the albumin was low and he was deficient in vitamin B12. This is because that kind of meal replacement was used to control calories. It added too little protein and added too much dietary fiber. The elderly had weak gastrointestinal systems and failed to absorb nutrients, which also affected normal meals.

In fact, there are two different views in the nutrition circle on meal replacement for the elderly. One group thinks that homemade meals are more reliable, without messy additives, as long as the ratio is not worse than the finished product. The other group thinks that it is difficult for ordinary families to accurately control the amount of nutrients added, and the ratio of industrially produced finished products is more scientific. There is actually nothing wrong with both of these statements. I have a retired nurse aunt around me who makes her own meal replacement paste every day, using 20g of oats, 10g of quinoa, 10g of steamed yam, half a spoonful of whey protein isolate, and a small handful of blanched and chopped spinach. The resulting paste is very fragrant and glutinous. She has been eating it for more than half a year. Last year, her physical examination showed that her bone density was better than that of many elderly people who are five years younger than her. But only if you understand How to prepare it? If you want to save trouble and only add pure grains such as rice and millet, it is better to choose finished products. Uncle Zhang who lives in the same community used to make pure corn paste as a substitute for half a year. In the spring, he went for a checkup and was found to have iron deficiency anemia. This is because the protein and iron content of pure grains are not enough, and they also contain phytic acid, which will hinder the absorption of minerals. The elderly have slow metabolism and it is difficult to make up for the lack of nutrients.

If you encounter an elderly person who has just had a surgery and has a poor appetite and cannot eat a few bites of solid meals, or who lives alone and is too lazy to open the door, or whose teeth have fallen out too much and cannot chew highly nutritious foods such as lean meat and hard vegetables, the finished meal for the elderly can really save a lot of trouble. Make a cup of warm food and drink it without any effort. A small cup can cover almost 1/3 of the nutritional needs of the whole day, which is much better than eating porridge and biscuits every day. When choosing, don’t just listen to the hype from the sales. Turn to the ingredient list to see if there are high-quality proteins such as whey protein and soy protein isolate in the top three, and whether there are intestinal-friendly soluble dietary fibers such as inulin and fructo-oligosaccharides. White sugar is in the second half of the ingredient list or even absent. If you are an elderly person with diabetes, you must specifically choose a low-GI model without added sucrose. Don’t buy indiscriminately.

Of course, not all elderly people need to take meal replacements. If they can eat a cup of milk, an egg, two taels of lean meat, and a pound of fresh vegetables every day, digestion and absorption will be no problem, and there is no need to spend this money. To put it bluntly, meal replacements are to make up for the shortcomings of daily meals. It is not a universal health product. It is best to adapt to your own living habits and supplement enough nutrients.