How to make nutritious liquid meals for the elderly

The core logic of making a qualified nutritional liquid meal for the elderly is very simple. First, add enough energy and protein to ensure the nutritional density, and then adjust the fineness and flavor according to the physical condition of the elderly. There is no need to add those fancy medicinal diets. The right combination of ordinary ingredients is better than anything else.

I used to do household nutrition guidance in the community, and met the 82-year-old Grandma Wang. She was bedridden just after hip surgery. Her family was afraid that she would not be able to digest well, so they gave her mushy white porridge with pickles. In less than three weeks, she lost 4 pounds. During the reexamination, her albumin was close to the critical value. Later, she was given a liquid diet formula, and her weight gained back 2 pounds in less than half a month. Her energy level improved a lot.

In fact, many people's misunderstanding about liquid food is that "thin, soft and easy to digest" is enough. They completely forget that the elderly have slow metabolism and small food intake. If the liquid food is all water and carbohydrates, the nutrition will not be able to keep up. Usually prepare some basic carbohydrates such as germ rice, cored lotus seeds, and steamed soft and peeled sweet potatoes and pumpkins. For protein, choose boneless longli fish, blanched and muscled lean beef tenderloin, chicken breast, or boiled egg whites, and sugar-free whole milk powder. For vegetables, choose those with less crude fiber, such as peeled tomatoes and blanched soft ones. Lettuce leaves and carrots, don't add scummy ones like celery and leeks, cook all the ingredients in advance until they are completely soft and translucent, just put the heated purified water in a wall-breaking machine. If the elderly have diabetes, don't add sweet roots. Add a spoonful of medical homogenization powder for diabetes, which can control sugar and supplement nutrients.

As for whether it is necessary to sieve the printed food, there is no unified standard in the industry. If the elderly only have bad teeth and normal swallowing function, there is no need to sieve. Only a few fine chyme particles are left, which can not only exercise the chewing ability, but also add some dietary fiber to prevent constipation.； However, if you have post-stroke sequelae, Alzheimer's disease and other swallowing disorders, you must pass it through a 300-mesh fine filter, or use a wall-breaking machine for 2 more minutes to ensure that there are no hard residues and small particles. Otherwise, if you accidentally choke the airway, it can easily cause aspiration pneumonia, which will be troublesome.

Last time I met a family member who said that the elderly refused to drink the liquid food because they thought it was tasteless. In fact, there is no need to add sugar to enhance the flavor. Cut a small piece of steamed soft peeled apple or kiwi fruit into it to give it a light sour taste, or add a little bit of unadded dried shrimp skin to make it fresh. The elderly people like to drink it. Our community has tried liquid food before, and the one with steamed apples is the most popular among old men and women. Some people even come here to ask for the recipe.

By the way, you also need to pay attention to the temperature. Don’t give it to the elderly just after you drink it. It should be a little warmer than the temperature in our palms. The oral mucosa of the elderly is thin, and it will easily cause bubbles if it is too hot. If you drink slowly in winter, use an insulated bowl. Feed slowly when drinking. Don’t rush. The elderly are already slow to swallow and may choke.