You’ve probably heard that it’s important to eat healthy as you age. But what does that mean, exactly? Well, the term “healthy” can be hard to define and often has different meanings for different people. For instance, some people believe that eating a salad daily is essential if you want to live a long life, while others think it’s better to eat nothing but junk food all day (and still others fall somewhere in between). So how do we know which foods for senior living are good?
In this article, we’ll explore some popular foods that seem healthy but aren’t really–and why they’re dangerous for older adults.
Candy Bars
The high sugar in candy bars can cause tooth decay and cavities, while the fat in them leads to weight gain. The salt in these treats may also contribute to hypertension and high blood pressure, leading causes of death among aging family members.
As if that weren’t enough reasons to avoid chocolate bars, they’re also full of calories—another factor that can lead to weight gain if you consume too many. And when it comes down to it, all those extra calories don’t do your body any favors: Sugar spikes insulin production, which prompts cells to absorb more glucose from the bloodstream than normal; this sudden influx of glucose causes blood sugar levels to rise rapidly—a phenomenon that’s known as hyperglycemia or high blood sugar levels.
Protein Bars
Protein bars are often marketed as a healthy alternative to traditional candy, but they can be quite harmful. They are high in sugar (some contain as much as 25 grams), calories, and sodium. They also have very little fiber, vitamins, or minerals. Many protein bars have no essential protein at all!
For elderly adults who do not eat enough food to meet their daily nutrient requirements, these products can be dangerous because they contain so many empty calories—calories that the body cannot use for energy and, therefore, store as fat.
Protein bars should only be consumed by physically active people who require additional protein in their diet regularly, such as athletes or people who work out regularly at the gym.
Sports Drinks
Sports drinks are designed to replenish electrolytes and sugars lost during exercise, but they’re unnecessary for most people. They usually have a high sugar content, which will only age your body faster. Sports drinks can be useful for physically active work, but the average person doesn’t require them.
For less than the cost of one sports drink per day, you could buy two gallons of water—assuming you’re only drinking one bottle daily! Even if you’re not doing strenuous physical activity (which is unlikely), water is still an excellent way to stay hydrated.
Bottled Teas And Flavored Water
Bottled teas and flavored waters are everywhere these days. They’re marketed as healthy alternatives to soda or sugary juices, but they’re nothing of the sort.
Often times they contain more sugar than the average soft drink. And while there are plenty of naturally occurring sugars in fruit, most bottled teas rely on artificial sweeteners like aspartame (the stuff in Nutrasweet) or sucralose (Splenda). Both of these have been linked to weight gain and other health problems.
Complex Carbs
The jury is still out when it comes to the healthfulness of complex carbs. Some scientists have argued that they can cause inflammation and weight gain, while others say they’re perfectly fine.
The problem with complex carbs is that they can be high in sugar and fat. They also break down into simple sugars quickly—which means you’re getting a lot of energy and eating too many calories for your body to use at once or store fat for later use (good luck running marathons on this fuel).
Complex carbs may be difficult for some people’s bodies to digest properly because their digestive system isn’t ready for them yet (this includes older adults). This can lead to bloating, gas, abdominal pain, and other symptoms of indigestion or early stages of type 2 diabetes.
