Scrap the tea and toast! Easy and affordable ways for over 60s to eat healthy

CapeTalk’s Clarence Ford speaks with general practitioner Dr Charlene Wolberg.

Listen below:

Many senior citizens have an easy meal of tea and toast as a staple part of their diet. However, this can come with significant issues.

Wolberg says adults over the age of 60 have very specific nutrient requirements that tea and toast do not meet.

She says a positive change in diet can help improve the quality of life and health for the aging population.

As people get older they start to lose muscle mass, meaning that protein intake becomes critical, she continues.

Wolberg recommends adding both plant-based and animal-based sources of protein to diets.

Easily accessible and affordable plant-based proteins include beans, lentils, peas, nuts and soy products.

For animal-based proteins she recommends fatty fishes, like tinned pilchards or sardines, chicken, eggs and meats.

“An egg or two a day can already provide you with about 20g of protein. You don’t need to spend lots of money to get good protein sources.”  

- Dr Charlene Wolberg, General Practitioner 

For carbohydrates, Wolberg says oats, bran and rye are good and affordable ways to get healthy carbs and fibre.

When buying bread, she recommends looking for bread with a label saying ‘low glycaemic’ or ‘whole grain’, which will give essential fibre and extra vitamins.

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Finally, she recommends getting fruit that is in season as this will be cheaper.

For more information you can visit Dr Wolberg’s Instagram account: @nutrition_medclinic

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