Healthy Salad Ingredients for Aging Adults

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Healthy Salad Ingredients for Seniors in Tucson, AZ

Many experts on senior nutrition recommend including salads in the diet on a regular basis. However, some salads are less healthy than advertised because the ingredients can vary and some have little to no nutritional value. The staff at Home Care Assistance, a leading provider of elder care in Tucson, has put together a list of healthy ingredients your senior loved one can enjoy in a salad.

Kale

This dark leafy green is antioxidant-rich and provides many anti-aging benefits. The antioxidants found in kale have been shown to ward off bladder, breast, colon, ovarian, and prostate cancer. Kale has also been shown to lower the risk for conditions such as atherosclerosis and autoimmune disorders, and the calcium found in kale can help prevent bone fractures and osteoporosis. There are hundreds of kale-inspired salad recipes your loved one can find online, ranging from lemon-garlic kale, to kale with apples and cheddar.

Almonds

Putting a few chopped almonds on top of a salad for garnish can be a powerful and healthy addition to your loved one’s diet. These nuts serve as a great source of vitamin E, which promotes anti-aging. Eating just 20 almonds a day can provide your loved one with 7 mg of vitamin E, which is the recommended daily value.

Carrots

Preparing a carrot salad is a great way to boost your loved one’s heart health. Researchers from the Wolfson Gastrointestinal Laboratory in Edinburgh, Scotland, found cholesterol levels dropped by 11 percent when 7 ounces of raw carrots were eaten for 3 weeks. Consider making a cold carrot salad or a cucumber-carrot salad to add this important ingredient into your loved one’s diet.

Squash

This vegetable is full of natural fiber, vitamin C, and vitamin B3. Squash is low in fat and has a lot of dietary fiber, which means your loved one might become full more quickly when eating it. This could reduce his or her risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Including a delicious butternut squash salad in your loved one’s menu is a fun and healthy way to add variety to mealtime.

To learn more about senior nutrition, reach out to Home Care Assistance. Our caregivers can assist with healthy meal prep, grocery shopping, and a variety of other tasks, and we also offer specialized Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and post-stroke care Tucson families trust. For more information on our in-home care services and to schedule a free in-home consultation, call one of our knowledgeable Care Managers at (520) 276-6555 today.

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