What Foods Should Seniors Avoid?
In general, seniors should avoid eating raw foods that may contain elevated levels of bacteria, including any food or drink made with unpasteurized milk. Seniors should also avoid eating foods high in sodium, which can contribute to high blood pressure and, hence, an increased risk of cardiovascular issues. Senior-friendly menus are usually designed with an eye to avoiding these problem foods.
Immune System Concerns
As people age, their immune systems begin to weaken, which, in turn, creates more natural health hazards. Some kinds of food are more likely than others to carry potentially harmful levels of bacteria if they’re not properly cooked, so seniors should avoid most raw foods. Examples include raw seafood such as shrimp and oysters, raw or undercooked eggs, raw poultry and raw alfalfa sprouts. These foods are all still fine for seniors to eat as long as they’re properly cooked and don’t contain high levels of sodium.
Dairy is a somewhat more complicated matter. Pasteurized milk is fine for seniors, but the levels of bacteria in unpasteurized milk may pose a danger to people with weakened immune systems. Some soft cheeses, such as gorgonzola and mozzarella, are often made with unpasteurized milk, so it’s best for seniors to avoid them if unsure. Hard cheeses such as Colby and cheddar are ripened in a different way and don’t represent an outsize risk for seniors.
Cardiovascular System Concerns
A significant majority of the sodium in Americans’ diets comes from eating processed and packaged foods, particularly burgers, deli meat and frozen pizzas. Savory snacks such as popcorn, potato chips and crackers are also high in sodium. FDA guidelines recommend that people over 60 limit themselves to 2,300 milligrams of sodium daily, but its research shows that more than 80% of seniors greatly exceed those limits.Having too much sodium in the diet is a health risk for all ages, but it’s a particular concern for people as they age. High-sodium diets carry with them an elevated risk of developing high blood pressure, and, therefore, can contribute to potential heart problems and even stroke.