Here are the best nutritional drinks for the elderly

Nutritional drinks for the elderly should be given considerable importance at this time and age. With rapidly changing seasons, eras and especially the pandemic, elderly people need good nutrition sources other than basic food. One should always take extra precautions for the elderly.

A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that decreasing Body Mass Index (BMI) and malnourishment in the elderly can lead to a higher mortality rate. Add to that, the elderly lose appetite or interest in proper consumption of food which makes it difficult for family members, caregivers and the elderly individual.

Nutritional drinks are thus essential for the elderly as they are easy to digest, low in fat, sugars, and calories. Today we shall look at some best nutritional drinks for the elderly.

Do nutritional drinks for the elderly have protein?

Of all the fundamental building blocks, protein is the single best source among other macronutrients. Protein generally helps in:

Preventing the decrease of muscle mass.
Improving muscle density.
Repairing damaged tissues.
Creating antibodies to fight infection.
Carrying oxygen properly.
Keeping the body strong overall.

Therefore, protein should be a highly essential component in nutritional drinks for the elderly. Most home-made nutritional drinks for the elderly fall short on protein. This can lead to sarcopenia (loss of skeletal muscle mass) which is common in most elderly seniors.

What are some of the good protein sources for the elderly?

Some of the good sources of protein are:

· Supplements: They are one of the easiest and best ways to incorporate protein into drinks. It is recommended to get a medically approved supplementary protein source.

Supplements (Image via Pexels/Nataliya Vaitkevich)

· Protein powder: Though protein powder can fulfil the role of nutritional drinks for the elders, they are not favored by all.

Protein Powder (Image via Pexels/Karolina Grabowska)

· Dairy products: Dairy products are good in whole protein content and good fats such as eggs, milk, cottage cheese etc.

Dairy Products (Image via Pexels/ROMAN ODINTSOV)

Some of the best nutritional drinks for the elderly:

Let us discuss some good nutritional drinks for the elderly in this article which can help them achieve good health and longevity.

1. Kefir

Kefir is a fermented dairy product and is high in nutrients especially Vitamin D, calcium, and magnesium, and is loaded with probiotics. They are a perfect substitute for yoghurt or curd. One cup of Kefir contains 10gm protein.

2. Kombucha

Kombucha can be signified as among the best natural nutritional drinks for the elderly that is high in vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients. It also contains natural probiotic that helps maintain good gut health.

Kombucha (Image via Pexels/Macourt Media Solutions)

3. Smoothies

Smoothies are easy, perfect, reliable and delicious for anyone, especially seniors, who are looking for a drink-based diet. They can be made of high protein and high fibre according to personal needs. You can put peanut butter, honey or any fruit of choice for extra calories and taste.

Smoothies (Image via Pexels/ Element5 Digital)

4. Ensure Supplementary Drink

Ensure supplementary drinks have a great reputation as one of the best nutritional drinks for the elderly. They are reliable and provide a great range of variety according to your needs. We’d recommend you to go for Ensure Plus, Ensure High Protein and Ensure Light.

5. Boost

Boost and other health drinks are good nutritious options. (Image via Pexels/ RUN 4 FFWPU)

Boost is among the great nutritional drinks for the elderly. Their products like Boost High Protein and Boost Glucose Control range from high protein and high caloric to glucose control variants too.

It is recommended to always choose nutritional drinks for the elderly which must strike a good balance between protein, carbs, fats, vitamins, and minerals while avoiding excessive sugar. For better results, ask your dietician to make required changes to your diet. Stay safe, and stay healthy!

Edited by Sudeshna Banerjee

Daily News