Best Ways to Incorporate Calcium in Senior Diets

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Healthy Calcium-Rich Food for Seniors

Even if your elderly loved one does not have lactose-intolerance, he or she may find it difficult to eat enough calcium-rich foods. To help protect your loved one from calcium deficiencies and other related conditions, the senior care experts at Anchorage Home Care Assistance suggest incorporating the following calcium-rich meals in your elderly loved one’s diet.

1. Cream Sauce
Pasta with reduced-fat cream sauce is an easy way to incorporate osteoporosis-fighting calcium in senior diets. A condition in which a person’s bones become very brittle, osteoporosis is at the root of many senior fractures. To reduce the amount of sugar in a single dish, choose whole-wheat pasta, which has a lower glycemic index and is less likely to raise blood sugar levels. Particularly for seniors with diabetes or kidney problems, foods with low GI scores are good alternatives.

2. Spinach Salad
If your elderly loved one needs to lose weight, salads with a spinach base are a great low-calorie option. While salads can often be boring and lackluster, salads with a lot of spinach are full of calcium and other key nutrients, keep your loved one feeling full, and can be really delicious. Mix up a homemade dressing of olive oil, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, and garlic for a boost of flavor and add mixture to a bowl of spinach, tomatoes, chickpeas, and feta cheese for some bonus calcium.

3. Low-Fat Beef Stroganoff
Research shows that eating enough calcium and protein together can reduce an elderly person’s risk of developing prostate, breast, and ovarian cancers. To help your loved one get his or her recommended intake of these two essential nutrients, have an Anchorage hourly caregiver prepare a low-fat beef stroganoff by using lean meat and low-fat creams. The cream sauce, typically consisting of cream of mushroom soup and sour cream, offers more than 2.5 servings of calcium.

4. Oven-Roasted Broccoli and Cheese
Both of the main ingredients in this side dish are packed with calcium. While calcium is better known for promoting heart health, it is also needed to strengthen muscle tissue, and not eating enough can lead to heart issues and high blood pressure. For a calcium-rich side dish, season broccoli florets on a baking sheet and sprinkle with Cheddar or Parmesan cheese before cooking at 450 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.

Looking for other ways to help promote your elderly loved one’s health and wellness? Turn to Home Care Assistance. As a leading provider of senior home care in Anchorage, we are dedicated to giving families the assistance they need to keep their loved ones comfortable, safe, and healthy. Expertly trained to help seniors with a variety of cognitive and physical challenges, like Parkinson’s and stroke recovery, a Parkinson’s or stroke caregiver in Anchorage may provide the assistance your loved one needs to adopt healthy habits. To learn more about our care services, give a Care Manager a call at (907) 770-0907 and schedule a free in-home consultation.

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