Archive for category: Senior Nutrition

Mechanical Soft Vs. Soft Foods Diet

Differences between mechanical soft and soft diet.

If you have certain medical conditions or are recovering from surgery, your doctor may recommend a mechanical soft or soft foods diet.  While these two eating plans sound similar, they’re actually quite different in terms of what foods are allowed and what they’re prescribed for.

In this article, we’ll discuss the differences between these two oft-prescribed diets.

MECHANICAL SOFT DIET

A mechanical soft diet focuses more on texture than ingredients.  Mechanical soft foods are usually altered in some way so they’re easy to chew and swallow.  It’s a useful diet for people for having difficulty chewing food, perhaps for some of the following reasons:

  • Getting used to new dentures
  • Recent stroke
  • Missing teeth
  • Just underwent radiation treatment
  • Sore jaw

MECHANICAL SOFT FOODS YOU CAN EAT

One nice aspect of a mechanical soft diet is that it’s not too restrictive.  As long as the foods you eat are cooked, shredded, blended, chopped, or ground you’re usually good to go.

Here are some examples of foods you can eat while on a mechanical soft diet:

  • All dairy products except non-shredded hard cheeses
  • Ground meats
  • Flaky fish
  • Eggs
  • Tofu
  • Nut butters
  • Soft cooked vegetables – no seeds or skins
  • Soups with finely chopped vegetables
  • Anything pureed
  • Oatmeal
  • Gravies and sauces
  • Soft bread

FOODS TO AVOID ON A MECHANICAL SOFT DIET

Below are some examples of difficult to chew foods you’ll want to avoid on a mechanical soft diet plan:

  • Nuts and seeds
  • Non-ground meats
  • Breads with hard crust
  • Hard candy
  • Raw, crunchy fruits and vegetables

SOFT FOODS DIET

Different than a mechanical soft diet that focuses on the texture of foods and ease of chewing, a soft foods diet emphasizes foods that are easy to digest.  However, there is some overlap between the two diets as easy to chew foods are often easier to digest.

Usually, this diet is prescribed for people with gastrointestinal issues or post-discharge from surgery (especially oral or throat surgery).  Oftentimes, patients in a hospital will transition from an all-liquid diet to a soft diet to ease the transition back into normal eating.  Different than a mechanical soft diet, which can be a long-term eating plan, a soft diet is usually prescribed for just a few days or few weeks at most.

SOFT FOODS YOU CAN EAT

A soft foods diet plan is often low in fiber and lacking in spices, while emphasizing simple carbohydrates.  Staying hydrated is also especially important for a soft foods diet plan.

Here are some examples of soft diet foods:

  • Pureed fruit
  • Canned vegetables
  • Egg noodles
  • White rice
  • White bread
  • Bananas
  • Cottage cheese
  • Tea
  • Mangos
  • Avocados
  • Mashed potatoes

FOODS TO AVOID ON A SOFT FOOD DIET

Here are some examples of high-fiber or difficult to digest foods you’ll want to avoid on a soft foods diet:

  • Whole wheat
  • Raw veggies
  • Beans
  • Nuts
  • Brown rice
  • Berries
  • Carbonated drinks
  • High fiber cereals
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7 Healthy High Fat Foods For Seniors

Many people believe that foods high in fat are bad for you.  And for certain foods, that’s absolutely true.  Saturated fats and trans fats should be avoided, and excess consumption can increase your risk for heart disease and diabetes.

However, there are also a number of fats that are very good for you.  For example, one of the primary components of the Mediterranean Diet (consistently ranked one of the top diets by US News & World Report) is healthy fats.

WHAT IS A HEALTHY FAT?

The term healthy fat usually refers to monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.  They help reduce “bad” cholesterol, called LDL cholesterol, which clogs your arteries.  There is also research showing that healthy fats can help regulate blood sugar levels, thus decreasing the risk for type 2 diabetes.

MONOUNSATURATED FATS

These are simply fat molecules that have one unsaturated carbon bond.  Monounsaturated fats are typically liquid at room temperature but turn solid when chilled. An example that almost everyone has in his or her pantry is olive oil.

In addition to reducing LDL cholesterol levels, monounsaturated fats also provide nutrients to help develop and maintain your health. Oils rich in monounsaturated fats also contribute vitamin E to the diet, an antioxidant vitamin most seniors could use more of.

POLYUNSATURATED FATS

Different than monounsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats have MORE THAN one unsaturated carbon bond. They are usually liquid at room temp, but turn solid when chilled.

Polyunsaturated fats include omega-3 and omega-6 fats.  These fatty acids are necessary for proper brain function and cell growth.

Omega-3 fats help:

  • Reduce the risk for an irregular heartbeat
  • Slightly lower your blood pressure
  • Slow the build-up of plaque

Omega-6 fats help:

  • Control your blood sugar
  • Lower your blood pressure

HOW MUCH SHOULD YOU EAT?

The latest Dietary Guidelines For Americans recommends getting no more than 30% of your daily calories from fat.  Most of those fat calories should be mono or poly unsaturated, as opposed to saturated or trans fats.   Saturated fats shouldn’t make up more than 6% of your daily calories intake.

All fats, whether healthy or unhealthy, contain 9 calories per gram.  Eating any type of fat is excess can lead to weight gain for seniors because they’re twice as calorie-dense as carbs and protein.

7 HEALTHY HIGH FAT FOODS FOR SENIORS

Here are 7 high fat foods that are extremely healthy for seniors:

1. FATTY FISH

Especially salmon, trout, sardines, and herring.

Fatty fish like the ones mentioned above are very high in omega-3 fatty acids, plus they’re a great source of protein.  If you don’t care for the taste of fish, taking a fish oil supplement can be beneficial.

2. CHIA SEEDS

This may be surprising, but chia seeds are 80% fat.  They contain high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, and all of the carbs contained in a chia seed are fiber that can aid digestion.

You can find chia seeds at most grocery stores in the health food aisle, and they can be added or smoothies or oatmeal.

 3. FULL-FAT YOGURT

Many yogurts you’ll find in the grocery store are low in fat, but high in sugar.  Instead of reaching for those, look for high-fat whole milk yogurt.  It’s loaded with probiotics, which can help maintain healthy amount of good bacteria in your body.

 4. NUTS

Healthy nuts include walnuts, almonds, macadamia nuts, and numerous others.

They are high in healthy fats and fiber, while being a great source of protein.  In addition, many nuts have high amounts of vitamin E and magnesium, both of which are essential nutrients.

5. DARK CHOCOLATE

This superfood is one of the healthiest desserts out there.  It’s also very high in good fats.

Dark chocolate is loaded with antioxidants, which research has shown can help reduce risks for various diseases like cancer.  Studies also show that people who eat dark chocolate 5 or more times per week are less than half as likely to die from heart disease, compared to people who don’t eat dark chocolate

When buying, look for dark chocolate that’s at least 70% cocoa.

 6. CHEESE

Real cheese, not the heavily processed kind, is actually very nutritious.  It’s a great source of calcium, which can help seniors strengthen their bones.  Plus, it contains vitamin B12, phosphorus, and protein.

Seniors with compromised immune systems may want to avoid soft cheeses like Brie, bleu cheese, and goat cheese, which can sometimes harbor harmful bacteria.

 7. AVOCADOS

Different than almost all other fruits, which are carb-based, avocados are mostly fat.  They are high in a monounsaturated fat called oleic acid and contain 40% more potassium than bananas.  Like most monounsaturated fats, eating avocados helps lower LDL cholesterol and raises HDL (the “good”) cholesterol.

Avocados are good for most seniors, except those needing a low potassium diet (aka a kidney diet).

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