Prioritizing one's health and nutrition becomes more important as one ages. For one to be healthy as they age, they must eat a balanced diet rich in whole grains, lean meats, fresh produce, healthy fats, and whole grains. Peanut butter is a wonderful source of essential nutrients, making it an important food for seniors to incorporate into their diet.
Peanut butter can provide a variety of health-related benefits for older adults due to its high levels of protein, fiber, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals. Since National Peanut Butter Day is on January 24th, let's take a look at how eating peanut butter can benefit seniors in McKinney, Allen, Prosper, Frisco and surrounding communities in Collin County, TX.
How Can Eating Peanut Butter Help Seniors in McKinney, TX and Surrounding Areas?
Here are some ways that incorporating peanut butter into your senior loved one's diet can help them stay healthy:
Peanut Butter Helps Build Muscle
A decrease in muscle mass is a common issue among older adults. Lower muscle mass can make it more difficult for your loved one to maintain the strength to complete everyday tasks like making meals, cleaning and more. It can also impact their balance and make them more likely to fall and sustain an injury. Therefore, it's important for seniors to maintain good muscle mass if they wish to remain independent.
If you're looking for a healthy way for your loved one to maintain muscle mass, you're in luck! Because peanuts are high in protein, eating more peanut butter can help your loved one maintain muscle mass. Additionally, because peanuts are a plant protein, they're also a healthier source of protein compared to animal proteins because they are typically lower in saturated fat and cholesterol.
Peanut Butter Can Help with Weight Loss
Weight gain is an issue that many older adults face as they age. This is because age-related physical issues can make it more challenging for seniors to exercise in order to burn enough calories. Therefore, it's helpful to incorporate foods that can help your senior loved one reduce their calorie intake.
Because peanuts are high in healthy fats, fiber and protein, they take the body longer to digest. That means your loved one will feel fuller for longer and have an easier time in resisting the urge to snack throughout the day, which is a habit that often leads to weight gain. Therefore, peanut butter can help your senior loved one maintain a healthy weight.
Peanut Butter is Good for Heart Health
Plant-based proteins like peanut butter can help seniors maintain muscle mass, but it also provides more benefits. Plant proteins such as those found in peanuts contain more dietary fiber, which helps to reduce the risk of heart disease and can also help to regulate blood sugar levels. In addition, peanuts have a high amount of unsaturated fats, which can benefit your loved one's heart health by lowering LDL cholesterol levels. In fact, a study from 2015 found that people who had a high intake of peanuts and other nuts in their diet had a lower risk of cardiovascular-related mortality.
Peanut Butter Can Help Reduce Inflammation
Inflammation is more common in the elderly because of both age-related immune system changes and lifestyle variables including inactivity and unhealthy eating. Many health issues can stem from chronic inflammation, such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and even cancer. One way for seniors in McKinney and nearby areas to lessen the likelihood of developing these health issues is to consume foods that have anti-inflammatory properties.
Plant-based protein sources, such as peanut butter, tend to have greater concentrations of minerals including potassium, magnesium, iron, zinc and vitamins B1 and B6. Not only are these nutrients important for seniors to maintain their overall health, but they also have anti-inflammatory properties. Peanuts, in particular, are well-known for their ability to reduce inflammation as a result of the relatively high polyphenol content that they contain. Polyphenols shield your cells from inflammatory free radicals since they are potent antioxidants. In addition, research has shown that the good fats in peanuts may modulate certain inflammatory pathways, therefore reducing inflammation. So, if you want to lower your elderly loved one's risk of inflammation-related chronic illnesses, try adding peanut butter to their diet.
Peanut Butter Can Help Boost Glucose Levels
If your senior loved one has been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, they may particularly benefit from adding more peanut butter to their diet. Because peanuts have a glycemic index of 14, they won't cause blood sugar levels to rise when eaten. In addition, peanut butter can also be a good source of magnesium, which people with type 2 diabetes should incorporate into their diets because their magnesium levels are often low and it can help with improving insulin sensitivity and reducing stress.
Peanut Butter Can Benefit Cognitive Health
As seniors age, they may be more prone to forgetting important information or have a more difficult time remembering new things. Age-related cognitive changes can increase your loved one's risk of developing anxiety, depression and even Alzheimer's disease. Therefore, it's important for seniors to prioritize their cognitive health.
Fortunately, peanut butter can help seniors in McKinney and surrounding areas maintain good cognitive health in two ways:
- Peanuts contain high levels of niacin and vitamin E, which can help reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease;
- The polyphenols found in peanuts can improve cognition and mood because they increase the body's levels of microbial phenolic compounds (MPMs), which are compounds that can cross the blood-brain barrier and help protect brain cells, according to a study from the Journal of Functional Foods
How Caregivers from Visiting Angels McKinney Can Help Seniors Eat More Peanut Butter
If your senior loved one lives on their own, they may struggle with finding ways to incorporate more peanut butter into their diet. They could have a difficult time preparing meals that have peanut butter or getting to the grocery store to buy more. Fortunately, at Visiting Angels McKinney, our home care services include helping seniors prepare meals and snacks and shop for groceries. That way, you can rest easy knowing a reliable and compassionate caregiver will help your loved one stick to a healthy diet. And unlike other local home care agencies, our care plans are personalized based on your loved one's needs and schedule. We can provide the assistance and support your loved one needs will shopping for groceries and preparing nutritious meals without interrupting their everyday routine.
Contact our McKinney, TX office by calling214-491-1999 or filling out our form to learn how our home care professionals can help your senior loved one!
