The report recommends that people over the age of 65 should drink strong tea in between meals and not during them.
Older adults should only drink strong tea in between meals and not during them, according to a scientific report published by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI)
Written by the FSAI’s Scientific Committee at the request of the Department of Health for scientific advice, the report provides comprehensive food-based dietary recommendations that, as part of an overall lifestyle approach, enable people over 65 to live life optimally.
The report, titled Scientific Recommendations for Food-Based Dietary Guidelines for Older Adults, uses the rich data available on current dietary intakes of people over 65 in Ireland as a basis for recommending food-based guidelines.
The report also accommodates differences in health status and differences in the needs of those living independently, semi-independently, or in residential care.
One of the key recommendations from the report was that strong tea should only be consumed between meals and not during meals, as it interferes with the absorption of both iron and zinc.
The report also recommends avoiding consumption of salty foods as a diminishing of a sense of taste with age can lead to increased salt intake, while a more protein-dense diet, consisting of poultry, fish, dairy and eggs, is recommended to stimulate muscle protein.
“This report sets out a number of science-based recommendations that will underpin national guidelines being prepared by the Department of Health, to support optimal nutritional status and health of older adults in Ireland,” said Doctor Pamela Byrne, Chief Executive of the FSAI.
“Due to considerable variations in the ageing process, food-based dietary guidelines are best tailored to functional capacity rather than chronological age.”
You can download the guidelines and read the report in full here.
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