Ohio Department of Aging
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December 2007
Healthy Snacking Can Keep Seniors Merry and Well
The holiday season is a time rejoice, celebrate and share fond memories. It also a time for eating, eating and more eating. A surprise weapon to help in the battle to avoid the bulge is healthy snacking.
Studies show that the right snacks are a vital part of a healthy and balanced diet. When seniors eat small snacks between meals it can help provide their bodies with the vitamins, nutrition and energy they need throughout the day. Healthy snacking also helps maintain proper blood sugar levels and enables individuals to eat smaller portions during meals.
Not all snacks will help maintain a healthy diet. Holiday cookies and candy, potato chips and ice cream all taste good but they also contain a large amount of sugar, salt, cholesterol and fat, and can cause physical problems down the road. When choosing a snack:
Some of the snacks that seniors can substitute for unhealthy habits are fresh or frozen fruit, raw vegetables, low fat dressings, whole wheat bread and whole grain crackers, non-fat cottage cheese, yogurt, hummus or nonfat smoothie.
Helping an older adult change his or her snacking habits can be a gradual process, but they can find snacks that taste good, are healthy and will enable them to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Ohio Department of Aging