Ageing sometimes makes us spend most of the time at home. Especially in these days of the Covid-19 pandemic, we are more inclined to stay at home. However, for most of us, staying at home is synonymous with excessive eating. Scientists have also found that not being busy can lead to fake hunger. It can pose severe threats to our health. Hence, in today's article we will introduce some natural foods rich in fibre to curb hunger in seniors. Not only are these foods good for elderly nutrition, but they also have various health benefits for seniors.
Hunger can be the result of diet or boredom. In both cases, it makes the person eat more unhealthy foods leading to various health disorders. Scientists have discovered that foods high in fibre can go a long way in reducing hunger and improving seniors' health. Below are some of the best natural choices to increase your fibre intake in your senior years.
Natural Fibre-rich Foods to Fight Hunger
Radish
For seniors who make regular visits to the kitchen to eat, radishes will probably be a great friend. Radishes are crunchy and flavorful and have few calories. This vegetable can be easily stored in the refrigerator and eaten as a snack. Among vegetables, radishes do not have the highest amount of fibre, but by consuming 9 radishes, you get about 20 calories and 2 to 3 grams of fibre. If you do not like to eat radish, add it to your salad and eat it by adding a little spice. You can even cook radishes and eat them with your food.
Chickpea: A Great Source of Fibre
Chickpeas are one of the foods with many fibres and are perfect for seniors to curb hunger. Half a cup of cooked chickpeas has 140 calories and 6 grams of fibre. If you like the taste of chickpeas, you can eat it alone or with your main meals. Many chefs prefer to use peas in their cooking recipes. You can use chickpeas to make hummus. You can also add peas to salads or soups.
Pear
Are you craving a sweet snack? A pear can quench your hunger and get the right amount of fibre into your body. A small ripe pear has only 85 calories, but it provides you with 5 grams of fibre. Pears are a little difficult to store. Try to be careful in choosing fresh pears and take good care of them. Then you will not have to throw them away after a short time and waste your money.
Celery
Celery is an excellent vegetable for curbing hunger in seniors. It is cheap, abundant, easy to find, very low in calories, and a high fibre food. Average celery has 6 calories and 1 gram of fibre. This amount of fibre does not seem like much, but when celery is the mainstay of your diet, the fibre in it piles up and becomes a large number. You can chop celery and add it to your vegetable omelet and eat it for breakfast. Eat two or three stalks at lunch. You can even make celery soup for dinner.
Guava: A Rich Source of Fibre
Guava is a delicious tropical fruit that provides 45 calories and 5 grams of fibre per medium fruit and significantly affects curbing hunger. Guavas can also be eaten raw or added to a healthy smoothie.
To make a healthy smoothie with guava, combine the fruit with berries or citrus fruit. Strawberries and pineapple pair well with guava. Add dairy like skim milk or yogurt if you want, but you don't have to. You can even add spinach for a healthy dose of protein and even more fibre!
White Beans
White beans are an essential element in your kitchen. Of course, all beans are a good source of fibre, and you can choose according to your taste. Half a cup of white beans has 150 calories and 6 grams of fibre. This half cup of beans also has 10 grams of protein. You can add whole or chopped white beans to your soup or salad. Most soups have a thick texture due to the high-fat cream or butter in their recipe. You can eliminate these high-fat products and use chopped white beans instead. In this case, your soup will be both tasty and thick.
Spinach & Fiber
Spinach is an excellent vegetable to curb hunger in seniors. This vegetable is readily available in all grocery stores and has many nutrients. One cup of spinach has 41 calories, 4.3 grams of fibre and 5.3 grams of protein. If you are serious about curbing your hunger, include spinach in your diet. The best way to use spinach is to add it to your salads and sandwiches instead of lettuce. You can also use it to make omelets.
Cauliflower
Are you looking for a cheap and easy way to add fibre to your diet and curb your hunger? The best option for you is cauliflower. One cup of this vegetable has 2.5 grams of fibre, 2 grams of protein and only 25 calories. Since cauliflower is an abundant vegetable, with a simple internet search, you will find many recipes for preparing foods with it. You can eat this vegetable raw, or you can make cauliflower puree.
Broccoli
Everyone knows that broccoli is an excellent food for weight loss. But do you know why?! One cup of broccoli has 31 calories, 2.4 grams of fibre and 2.5 grams of protein. Hence you can eat a lot of broccoli and not yet reach the daily calorie limit. If you do not like broccoli texture, use it in creamy soups. This way, you will feel its taste and receive its nutrients without having to endure its texture. Broccoli has a high satiating effect and can curb your hunger if you add it to your daily diet.
Source:
Healthline – eatingwell - livingmaples