Five nutritious foods for elderly who have no teeth

(Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/health-news)

It becomes difficult to take care of an elderly's nutritional needs if they do not have teeth. Old age is not easy. There are multiple physical and mental health challenges that the old population has to deal with. One of the biggest challenges is losing their teeth. Teeth are connected to eating foods, which provides the body with all the required nutrients. Not having teeth limits their options but that does not mean they have to compromise on nutrition.
There are certain soft foods that can be offered to such elderly people. These foods are also high in nutrition, which makes it a win-win situation for the family. Here are five such foods.

Scrambled eggs

Eggs have a bad reputation for raising cholesterol levels in the elderly population. But eggs are packed with protein, which can help build muscles. Not just this, eggs have a host of nutrients, including vitamin D, vitamin B12, choline and selenium. You can make scrambled eggs just by using eggs whites to keep cholesterol levels under check.
Smoothies
Smoothies do not just look great but are all power-packed with nutrition. Smoothies are helpful for the elderly as they are packed with fruits and vegetables and you can have them without even chewing. You can use fruits and vegetables like bananas, strawberries and spinach for wholesome benefits. You can even add a spoon of protein powder if the elderly person has good digestion.

Oatmeal

Easy to make and healthy to eat, oatmeal is one of the favourite breakfast choices for many. Oats pack a whole lot of nutrition and are soft and easy to eat. One serving of oatmeal has four grams of fibre. You can add some raisins, flaxseeds and nuts to make your oatmeal even healthier. You can also make them salty, by adding vegetables.

Yoghurt

Yes, yoghurt is truly a meal in itself. It's a great source of calcium, protein and potassium. It also has probiotics that can keep one's digestive tract healthy and helps in combating any yeast infection.

Cottage cheese

Cheese or paneer is a super healthy addition you can make to an elderly person's diet. It is rich in protein and has calcium, which is helpful for them. Paneer also helps in regulating blood sugar levels.