Anti Aging Fruits
10 Important Fruits for Senior Health
September is Fruits and Veggies Month.
Nutrition’s important at any age, but seniors have some particular concerns to keep in mind when it comes to eating well, in order to promote healthy aging. Diet can make a huge difference in the ailments seniors suffer most and how severe they get.
While different experts have different ideas about what makes for a healthy, well-balanced diet, one thing just about everyone can agree on is the importance of fruits and vegetables. With that in mind, we’ve rounded up a list of ten of the most important fruits to help seniors stay healthy (and have a list of great veggies for seniors on the way).
1. Berries
This is one big fruit category with lots of health benefits packed in. In particular, berries and other dark-skinned fruits can give a boost to your memory. Researchers believe the antioxidants present in berries, anthocyanins, have properties that help reduce memory loss and help with a host of other aging-related issues like heart disease and cancer.
Other good fruits for memory strength: In case you don’t much like berries, you can find the same antioxidant in blood oranges and grapes.
2. Papaya
Papaya’s heavy on the carotenoids, like beta-carotene and lupeine, that scientists attribute to reducing a person’s risk of cancer and heart disease. Add some vitamin C and E to the mix, and papaya proves an effective tool for helping reduce the oxidation of cholesterol in your arteries, which is a technical way of saying it makes you less likely to have a heart attack.
Other good fruits for heart health: If you’re not a huge fan of papayas, carotenoids are also common in cantaloupe, apricots, mangos and blueberries.
3. Kiwi
Getting sick is never pleasant, but often has more serious consequences when you get older. Kiwi is a great source of vitamins C and E which strengthen your immune system. Eating kiwi can help your body fight off bacteria and infection, so you can spend more time feeling and being healthier.
Other good fruits for immunity: If kiwi’s not your thing, you can get vitamins E and C from guava, papaya and berries.
4. Pears
The effects of aging on digestion might not be your favorite subject, but we all know that it’s important for food to make it through (and then out of) our bodies with minimal effort. Fiber’s good for that and pears are good for fiber. Americans only get about half the fiber they need, so start eating more pears!
Other good fruits for digestion: If pears aren’t a favorite, you can get fiber from eating apples, raspberries, bananas and figs.
5. Bananas
Another important nutrient for heart health, potassium helps keep blood pressure low so your heart beats as it should, In addition to bringing down your blood pressure, bananas are also recommended for better sleep. The combination of potassium and magnesium works as a muscle relaxant to help you slip off into dreams.
Other good fruits for blood pressure: Bananas aren’t your only fruit option for getting potassium, you can also turn to apricots, prunes, raisins, and figs.
6. Oranges
In addition to offering up plenty of the aforementioned vitamin C, oranges also provide a fair amount of calcium. Calcium can help you keep your bones strong so an unexpected fall doesn’t turn out more serious than it needs to be. They don’t offer as much as a glass of milk, but if you’re looking for non-dairy calcium choices, they’re a good alternative.
Other good fruits for strong bones: For fruits other than oranges that offer calcium, consider apricots, kiwi, prickly pears, and prunes.
7. Apples
If you’re human, then breathing’s important to you. In a recent British study, researchers found that people who eat at least five apples a week dealt less with wheezing, asthma, and other lung complaints. Researchers suspect this is due to certain flavonoids present in the fruit.
Other good fruits for lung health: Vitamin C is also believed to help strengthen lungs, so citrus fruits and berries are another smart option for your lungs.
8. Guava
While oranges are often thought of as the go-to fruit for vitamin C, guava actually serves up more of it. Several of the benefits of vitamin C have already been addressed, but there’s still more to go. Vitamin C is believed to help improve mood, so any seniors struggling with fatigue or depression can especially benefit from it.
Other good fruits for mood: You’ve got lots of fruit options for getting your vitamin C. Some of the ones that provide the most are papayas, oranges, and kiwi.
9. Avocado
Most people don’t need a special reason to eat avocado, but we’re giving you one anyway. Avocados contain a good amount of lutein, which works as an antioxidant for the eye. Eating more avocado therefore helps keep your vision strong.
Other good fruits for vision: Along with avocados, you can get a regular dose of lutein by eating more tangerines, papayas and peaches.
10. Grapes
Last but not least, grapes make the list for their resveratrol, which is believed to aid in longevity. As if that’s not enough, they also provide benefits relating to cardiovascular health and anti-inflammation.
Other good fruits for longevity: If you want other fruit alternatives for resveratrol, try berries. Blueberries in particular provide a hearty dose.
The main lesson to take away here is that you should eat more fruits in general. They’re a sweet, tasty snack, so that shouldn’t be too tall of an order anyways.
In need of senior care? Find assisted living in Minneapolis or another city near you on SeniorAdvisor.com.
Kristen Hicks
Kristen Hicks is an Austin-based copywriter and lifelong student with an ongoing curiousity to learn and explore new things. She turns that interest to researching and exploring subjects helpful to seniors and their families for SeniorAdvisor.com.