Serving soups with a good number of calories can be a beneficial alternative to dry crunchy food. (Photo: Getty/Thinkstock) Some people have nightmares about losing their teeth, and while it is unimaginable, many senior citizens live with this reality. Losing teeth can not only cause speech problems, but can also make chewing of foods a difficult process.
Dr Archana Batra, a dietician and certified diabetes educator, says generally, soft food is advised to elderly people due to the difficulty they face while chewing or swallowing food.
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“According to data, around 45 per cent of elderly people have lost a few or more of their natural teeth. Due to trouble while chewing or swallowing, they also tend to go through deficiencies and weight loss. It, therefore, becomes a need for them to consume soft foods, since it is essential for them to gain sufficient nutrients without any inconvenience,” she says.
But what exactly comes under soft food?
The nutritionist and physiotherapist recommends the following; read on.
1. Dairy or animal products
Usually, dairy products come under soft food and are easy to consume. Cottage cheese, yoghurt, cream cheese, condensed and dried milk etc., are all soft foods that require minimal or no effort while chewing. Some animal products like scrambled eggs and fillet of most fish are soft and tender to eat. If cooked properly, they can be well consumable with protein rich nutrients.
2. Steamed grains and lentils
Grains and lentils might seem tough and hard to chew but if boiled or cooked well with extra water, they can become a bowl of protein-rich soupy-style grains that are easy to consume. It can also include dal rice khichdi, Pongal khichdi, sabudana khichdi, bajra khichdi and so on.
3. High-calorie soups
Serving soups with a good number of calories can be a beneficial alternative to dry crunchy food. Along with its easy consumption, soup can also fill the nutrient gap. These can include tomato soups, sweet potato and lentil soup, asparagus soup etc.
Mashed potatoes add zing to your meal without any swallowing difficulty. (Photo: Getty/Thinkstock) 4. Oats and porridge
Oats and porridge can become nutrient-rich meals by just blending vegetables or other ingredients. They may seem like difficult foods to chew due to their sticky nature, but it is all about the right amount of water. Just adding a little extra water can give your porridge and oatmeal a soupy texture.
You can also consume them with your choice of fruits like banana, mango, grated apple and garnish it with chia seeds, flax seeds or pumpkin seeds to make it more delicious.
5. Mashed potatoes and dips
Mashed potatoes and dips can be interesting side food. They add zing to your meal without any swallowing difficulty. They are also rich in nutrients. Dips like hummus, guacamole, cheese dips can be the soft foods that satisfy your taste cravings and give you the amount of nutrients.
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