Vegan for Life (22 page)

Vitamin D needs are higher for those over the age of seventy. One reason for the increased requirements is that the synthesis of vitamin D from sun exposure declines with aging. In addition, calcium absorption becomes less efficient. While there is much debate about how much calcium people need at all stages of life, adequate vitamin D and calcium are both important for preventing osteoporosis in later years. The current calcium recommendation for those over age fifty is 1,200 milligrams per day, but studies suggest that amounts quite a bit higher are useful in preventing bone loss.
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It’s possible that for all older adults—vegan or not—supplements are necessary to achieve optimal calcium intake.

There has been quite a bit of discussion about protein needs as people age. Lower calorie intake results in slightly higher protein needs, and there is also evidence that protein is utilized less efficiently with aging. The FNB does not recommend an increase in protein intake for older people, but some experts suggest that protein needs could be as much as 25 to 50 percent higher for older people compared to
younger adults.
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Since vegans probably have somewhat higher protein requirements than omnivores, it’s important for older people to emphasize protein-rich foods in meals. High protein intakes along with resistance exercise, such as weight-lifting, have been shown to slow the loss of muscle mass that commonly occurs as we age.
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And protein supplements may improve bone health in older people.

Finally, the RDA for vitamin B
₆
is higher for older adults. This shouldn’t be a problem for vegans as long as their diets include a variety of whole plant foods.

One other change actually makes diet planning a little easier for older women. After menopause, iron requirements drop by roughly one-half since women no longer lose iron through monthly periods.

The challenges in planning healthy meals for older people aren’t all related to changes in nutrient needs. Taste sensitivity declines with aging due to either a decline in the sense of smell or an actual reduction in the number of taste buds. It is a real phenomenon and can lead to over-salting of food or poor appetite. It’s hard to eat if food doesn’t taste good.

Changes in living situations can have a significant effect on food choices too. Older people who find themselves living alone may find that their interest in cooking and eating suffers. While most neighborhoods offer communal or home-delivered meals for seniors, they are rarely suitable for vegans. Chapter 8 lists options for simplified and convenient meals that can be especially helpful for anyone who is cooking for one.

If, like many older people, you live on a fixed income, cutting food costs may be a priority. Some of the best vegan nutritional buys include potatoes, dried beans, frozen vegetables (which are just as nutritious as fresh), peanut butter, brown rice, and oatmeal. Refined grains are often cheaper than whole grains, and, if your budget is tight, there is nothing wrong with the occasional serving of regular pasta or white rice. You’ll find more tips for planning a healthy vegan diet on a budget in Chapter 8. The menu on page 169 makes use of lower-cost and easy-to-prepare foods.

Nutrition plays a role in all aspects of health as people age and that includes cognitive function. We don’t have any information about cognitive function in older vegans, but among Seventh-day Adventists, people who eat meat were more than twice as likely to develop dementia.
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Cognitive decline may be due, in part, to the production of free radicals, which are normal products of metabolism. Antioxidants, including nutrients like vitamin C and beta-carotene, as well as other plant chemicals, help neutralize free radicals and could support cognitive function. People who adopt vegan diets may have better antioxidant status according to some research.
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Higher levels of homocysteine might raise the risk for cognitive decline, which means it is important to get plenty of vitamin B
₁₂
as well as vitamin B
₆
and folate. Although the role of omega-3 fats in protecting
cognitive health is controversial, we recommend that vegans over the age of sixty take a daily algae-derived supplement that provides 200 to 300 micrograms of DHA.

Non-dietary factors also play a significant role in keeping the brain young. Exercise seems to be especially important, as is challenging your brain as much as possible by reading, doing crossword puzzles, or learning new skills.

Tips for protecting cognitive function:

This sample menu for older people maximizes nutrient intake with affordable, easy-to-prepare meals.

 

S
everal decades ago, most research on plant-based diets focused on nutrition problems associated with this “alternative” way of eating. That has changed in the past twenty years or so; now there is a significant focus on the health advantages of eliminating animal foods from menus.

Here is a quick summary of the benefits of plant-based diets:

The research on diet and chronic disease is complex and conflicting, though, and trying to find solid proof for the benefits of vegetarian diets—and especially vegan diets—hasn’t been as easy as you might expect.

Much of the available information about the health effects of vegetarian diets comes from just a few large epidemiologic studies. (These studies are expensive, so there aren’t very many of them.)

People who eat plant-based diets consume less saturated fat and cholesterol and more of the compounds that protect against heart disease. One analysis of five large studies showed that the risk of dying from heart disease was 24 percent lower for vegetarians compared with meat-eaters.
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In addition, a number of studies have shown that adopting a vegetarian diet lowers blood cholesterol and the rate of heart disease (we’ll look at this more closely in Chapter 13). There is good evidence that vegetarians have lower blood-cholesterol levels than meat-eaters and that vegans have the lowest blood-cholesterol levels of all.

The table below compares cholesterol levels in vegans, omnivores, lacto-ovo vegetarians, and people who eat fish but no other types of meat to desirable levels recommended by the U.S. government’s National Cholesterol Education Program.

The levels of LDL-cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol matter more than total cholesterol. LDL is the so-called “bad” cholesterol that is associated with a higher risk of heart disease. HDL-cholesterol is the “good” or protective form of cholesterol. The ratio of total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol is the best indicator of risk; the lower the ratio, the better.