Once your daily routine of getting up every day and going to work is behind you, you don’t want to just turn into a couch potato. You want to keep active in mind and body. You want to relax and resurrect or discover interests and hobbies. And while this dramatic change is taking place, it’s most likely that your eating habits will also need adjusting.
So you’ll need to consider foods that are going to keep the energy levels up so you can enjoy your new life without letting the waistline creep out.
It has been well documented that the better you eat and the longer you remain active, the more likely you are to delay the ageing process. Many of the problems we face at this life stage such as failing eyesight, aching joints, high blood pressure and heart disease can be delayed as long as possible by eating fresh foods that provide antioxidants and essential nutrients. Veggies, wholegrain cereals, legumes, nuts and fruit become more important than ever.
Blood pressure often rises with age, but this doesn’t have to happen. Foods low in salt and high in potassium are very powerful in keeping blood pressure normal. Bananas are famous for their potassium content with each banana providing around 350mg of potassium or about 10% of our daily needs.
As bananas have no fat and are filling, they are great at helping to control your eating. You just won’t get fat eating bananas as they are very filling for very few kilojoules. If you’re watching your weight, then eat plenty of fruit and veggies and avoid fatty foods. Bananas. They’re ideal for a lean machine.
The aim is to eat at least two serves of fruit and five serves of vegetables a day as they provide antioxidants and essential vitamins and minerals. For example, the banana is packed with vitamin C and other antioxidant compounds, folate, riboflavin and it is the best fruit source of vitamin B6.
Once you’ve passed 50 years, your need for vitamin B6 increases by about 20%, as aging is associated with less efficient absorption and processing of some essential nutrients. With vitamin B6 being important for a healthy immune system and a healthy cardiovascular system, you can see the value of high B6 foods. One medium banana will provide a quarter of your daily needs and helps meet the extra B6 needs during the senior years.
As bananas provide folate (about 5% of our daily needs in a small banana and 10% in a large banana), they help avoid heart disease and dementia later in life. The average banana also provides around 3g of fibre, which is 10-15% of the fibre recommended for good bowel health. Bananas are one of the most delicious ways to add good nutrition to your diet.
Pick one that is sweet and ripe, especially if you have trouble chewing. As a banana ripens, the starch converts to natural sugars and so it becomes sweeter and softer to eat. This soft, natural texture makes it ideal eating for every age.
