Elderly Day: learn how taste preservation can help health in old age | Press

It is necessary to pay attention to diet, since taste is one of the senses most affected over time.

São Paulo, September 2017 – Over the years, the human body requires special attention and increasingly frequent daily care. When reaching old age, some problems may appear due to the great overload of past years. That is why it is necessary to pay attention to several health-related factors, especially diet. On October 1st, Elderly Day is celebrated and, for this reason, this is the ideal moment to better understand the small daily actions that can improve health in old age.

It is common for a gradual loss of taste to occur with advancing age, but the limitations become more significant after the age of 60. Some common symptoms in the elderly are the reduction of salivary glands and the dryness of the oral mucosa, characteristics that directly interfere with taste perception and, consequently, with the individual’s food acceptance. “When an elderly person does not perceive tastes properly, they may consume certain foods excessively. An individual with difficulties perceiving salty taste, for example, is more likely to consume foods with a higher amount of salt or stop eating properly,” explains nutritionist Marilia Zagato.

Given this scenario, it is very important for the elderly to pay attention to daily diet. The specialist’s tip is to bet on umami foods – one of the five basic tastes of the human palate – such as tomatoes, cheeses, mushrooms, among others. “One of the main benefits of umami for the elderly is the aid in oral health, since this taste stimulates salivation. This increase in salivary secretion promotes chewing and also enhances taste sensitivity, helping the consumption of foods that end up excluded from the elderly’s diet due to problems related to swallowing,” adds Marilia.

The flavor enhancer monosodium glutamate, which provides umami taste to dishes and can be found in most supermarkets, is also an alternative for improving the diet of the elderly, since it has a low sodium concentration. “Monosodium glutamate contains less sodium when compared to table salt. This fact can be beneficial in controlling the intake of the mineral, which helps prevent and control hypertension, for example,” explains Ilana Elman, PhD in Sciences from the School of Public Health at USP. “The addition of monosodium glutamate improves the palatability of preparations and helps the salivation process, minimizing taste problems.”

To complement the advice, the nutritionist, in partnership with the Umami Committee, presents the foods that should be present in each daily meal of an elderly person – the purpose is to minimize possible discomforts arising from age. See below:

Breakfast: cow’s milk.
“Milk is one of the main foods that is a source of calcium, an important mineral for maintaining bones and preventing osteoporosis,” says the nutritionist.

Lunch: beef and tomato.
“Meat is an excellent source of high-quality protein and also contains vitamins and minerals important for elderly health. Tomato, in addition to fiber, has an antioxidant called lycopene, responsible for helping prevent diseases such as cardiovascular ones and reducing the process of cellular aging,” she highlights.

Dinner: chicken and peas.
“Like beef, chicken is also responsible for providing high-quality proteins, necessary for maintaining the elderly’s lean mass. Peas contain a good amount of protein and are rich in fiber, which help bowel function and contribute to cholesterol control,” concludes Marilia.

UMAMI

It is the fifth basic taste of the human palate, discovered in 1908 by Japanese scientist Kikunae Ikeda. It was scientifically recognized in the year 2000, when researchers at the University of Miami verified the existence of specific receptors for this taste in the taste buds. The amino acid glutamic acid and the nucleotides inosinate and guanylate are the main Umami substances. The two main characteristics of Umami are increased salivation and the continuity of the taste for a few minutes after eating. To learn more, visit portalumami.com.br and also follow on social media facebook.com/GostoUmami and instagram.com/ogostoumami.