For some, the craving for fried and oily food is simply irresistible. Although indulging in greasy foods occasionally will not lead to any serious health consequences, it is still important for your loved one to understand the reason why eating such oily food frequently could cause negative effects on their health. At senior living communities like The Trace, we ensure that the food we provide daily is nutritious and delicious to keep our residents healthy. Read on to find out more about the link between greasy foods and health.
Discomfort to the Digestive System
In heartburn commercials, a common sight is older adults consuming a large portion of something oily and greasy, before they start to feel the discomfort in their digestive system. A lot of digestive disorders are made worse by grease, and certain conditions like irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn’s disease, and acid reflux require the elderly to be mindful about their grease intake. If your loved one loves fried food and is always craving it, you can try opting for healthier options like air frying or baking their food instead.
Extra Calories
In order to prevent diseases like heart disease and diabetes, it is important to manage weight. Fried food contains excessive calories which are usually far more than what aging adults require in their diet. If your loved one has a habit of eating lots of greasy food, try to get them to opt for healthier food choices instead.
Low Nutrition
When you cook food at a very high temperature, the nutritional composition which is crucial to prevent malnutrition is broken down. This means that eating deep-fried vegetables have significantly less nutrition as compared to fresh vegetables. In order to maximize the amount of nutrients your loved one is getting, try as much as possible to get them to eat food in its natural state.
High Cholesterol
Oily food naturally contains lots of trans fats, and this can result in a high amount of bad cholesterol in a person’s blood. Over the long run, this can lead to blockages in the arteries which may require surgery to rectify. In order to prevent your loved one from getting heart disease in the future, try to add healthy fats to their diet, such as replacing animal fats with olive oil.
Higher Chance of Cancer
Frying food can also create carcinogens that are dangerous to health. This is because fats are chemically broken down when food is heated. The overconsumption of greasy foods could lead to cancer of the pancreas, throat, and stomach.
If you are concerned about how you can maintain a healthy diet for your loved one, you can consider visiting a senior living community like The Trace. Our team of professionals is well-equipped to care for our residents, and we take care to serve food that is not only rich in nutrition but delicious as well. If you are interested to find out more, feel free to contact us to find out about our senior living community today!
